Hidden Beneath a Smile
by Zonza
Summary: [AU]What if there were rogues in the government that were a threat to not only your family but to the rest of the world? Wouldn't you do anything in your power to save them, maybe join a mafia that was created to stop them. IK SM KS KR
1. A Smile Never Ending

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Disclaimer: I can not claim what can not be claimed and therefore have no rights to Inuyasha, those solely belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Prologue: A Smile Never Ending

**_T_**he summer nights of Hokkaido were always quite, always still and extremely warm. So warm in fact more crickets came out to play their lovely harmonies, and a person could sleep within their beds without the covers upon their bodies in their air-conditioned rooms. In fact most welcomed the cool air upon their skin, reveling in the shivers and goose bumps such an action brought about. This night was no different, the moon hung in all its radiance, while the clouds attempted to hide the stars from those gazing up searching for their presence within the night darkened sky.

Hidden from all of this, well not quite so, with in the wilds of the island of Hokkaido, is an average shrine barely lit by what light the moon offered through the ever presence of the trees that tried to block all view of the skies from those gazing below. No lights were on within the shrine house. Every inhabitant of the shrine lay safely tucked with in their beds, soundly asleep as the shadows flickered in the little moonlight as they drew nearer to the main house; metal glinting as they moved.

Shooting up from his bed, the youngest of the house bolted to his sister's room looking for the safety his young heart wished for. He could hear the noises down stairs, the door as it opened, the sounds of the house being ransacked, and it scared him, so he went to the only place he knew he could find security. Trekking through the upstairs hall as deftly as possible for the ten-year-old boy, he paused at his sister's doorway and eased it open carefully, slipping through. At the sight of her wrapped snuggly in her bed, the younger boy ran and then jumped unto her full sized bed, all thoughts of stealth and quite sailing to the four winds. His sister would keep him safe.

Crawling up to her face, he wondered briefly how she was able to sleep through all of this, and he cringed when the sound of their grandfather's muffled yells reached his ear along with foreign voices. His heart beat painfully in his chest, and he could hear its pulse in his ears. Swallowing hard, he shook his sister gently. "Kagome! Kagome, wake up, someone's in the house!" He whispered in her ear frantically.

"Souta, go to sleep, no ones in the house." She mumbled in to her pillow, shifting so that she could move her blanket aside to admit his small body. "Hurry up Souta, I'm tired and have school in the morning." In her new position her face smashed into her pillow caused her words to be muffled slightly and took a few moments of her brother to understand all of what she said, and hearing nothing of what the wished to began to shake her again.

The noises down stairs began to get much louder, and Souta thought that he could now hear his mother's voice along with their grandfather's angry yells. It sounded like a fight was going on down there, and not just one involving words. Trembling, he yanked her blankets down and got into position to shove her off the bed, but became as still as death. Four gun shot's in rapid procession sounded out in the night fallowed by the screams of his kaasan and jiichan, fallowed by, at lest he dearly hopped not, the sound of bodies colliding lifelessly to the floor.

He nearly screamed his head off, when Kagome jumped from the bed but reframed from doing so, and watched as she kept her eyes to her bedroom door her movement deliberate as she walked to her dresser. Slowly easing the drawer out, she shifted the clothes around, all the while trying to calm her jumble of thoughts and her steady increasing heart beat, her hand came to close around the cell she got a couple weeks ago. Tossing it to her brother, she whispered lowly. "Souta, call Miroku and tell him what's going on, and then call the police and let them know someone may have been shot. Tell them you're all alone, they'll come faster that way." Not looking back, she headed toward her closet and slowly slid the door open.

Pushing aside her clothes at the back, she came across her myriad of weapons, Miroku, her older brother, had always thought it best to train her in the ways of self-defense as well as offense. She may not have bested him in anything, but perhaps the handgun, she came close and anyone who wished to mess with her aniki also wished for death. Her brother is a federal agent working for the CIA, and all though she hasn't seen him much of late, he was always there for her and Souta when they called and knew he wouldn't let her down now. Belting two handguns around her waist, some knives up her pajama sleeves and taking her katana, Kagome cast a look at her brother clearly telling him not to move and he nodded in acknowledgment.

Stealthily walking past the door, Kagome monitored her breathing, lowering it as not be heard by the intruders and made sure her steps were just as deliberate. One wrong move, one slight noise could alert them of her presence thus taking away the element of surprise and her possible upper hand in the fight. She moved down the hall blending in with the shadows of the night, just as Miroku had taught to her, and paused listening for the movement of her prey in hopes to gain some idea as to their location.

She could hear shelves being tipped over, and hear the books collided with the ground; Kagome mentally seethed. She knew where they were, where they had no right to be, where they had no right to ramshackle. Moving down each step with explicit care, she paused at the foot of the stairs, and moved her back along the wall still covered in shadows, out into the living room. Her legs nearly gave out and she had to bring up a hand to stifle the sob that wished to escape her mouth, steadying herself against the wall and squeezing her eyes shut to banish the images from her sight. Only to have them seen before her in the darkness of her closed eyes. Her mother and jii-chan sprawled out on the floor like lifeless rag dolls, their blood pooling out around them. Her mother was shot once in the head and again in near the heart region and her grandfather shot in the heart in what appeared to be twice and another in lower regions near his liver. Blood trailed their lips and their eyes stared lifelessly ahead, and Kagome once again had to stifle another sob. Steeling her resolve she opened her eyes, but did not once look upon the scene before her, and continued her journey to her father's study where it would seem the criminals were located.

She was trembling, and not just with the sadness and sobs that wished to make themselves known. She shook with anger and hatred so fierce that it startled her. Never before had she ever felt these emotions run through her, being that she, normally, never felt such for anyone no matter what they had done. She always tried to be understanding. Did this make her a bad person? That she could feel this way and so strongly as well, a picture of her mother's lifeless body lying beside her grandfather's flashed through her minds eye and her body trembled. Her blood felt on fire with the emotion of anger, and adrenalin. Making sure to step over shelf, Kagome emptied her mind and entered an emotionless state. Miroku, when he had taught her to fight, always explained that she must keep her emotions in check because they could be the thin line between victory and defeat. By reading ones emotions one could predict their opponents next move. Had he not taught her this the blind rage and sadness that had wrapped its way so firmly around her heart would have surely controlled her movements getting her killed. She was a skilled fighter, trained by the best, but even she would fall prey to the men raiding their house. As far as she knew they could be armed with more then a gun, but as is were she only knew of the firearm having heard the shots within her bedroom with Souta.

One of the most important lessons Miroku had ever bestowed to her would be this; while she was strong when facing a man she will almost always be weaker. So her brother honed her speed, reflexes, grace, but most importantly her mind. The majority of the male fighters in the modern world were all muscles and no brains, thinking it was all they needed to survive in this harsh world of conflict. He had trained her to think, to be shrewd. So in this fight this would be the weapon she would use, she would out smart them into their own graves.

Shifting her grip on the hilt of her Katana, Kagome pushed her back up against the wall near a shelf that wasn't over turned. Taking in a deep breath, she took the heel of her foot and knocked it into the wall, and waited a few moments. She heard the movements freeze in the other room, and the low mumbles of their arguing but could make out not a word of it. There were movements, and she could distinctly hear the dragging of feet upon the wooden planked floors; her father always preferred it to carpeting or tile. There were three individual movements she could make out, so her guess would be that she had three opponents to dispose of. Her ears caught the voice of one man ordering another to investigate the origin of the sound she had made. Her heart was beating a million miles per hour, and her gut twisted; whether from anticipation or nausea, she did not know, though she hoped it was from sickness of what she was about to do.

Kagome had never killed before, but she would have too with these intruders. They would kill her and Souta if she didn't; already they've killed her mother and grandfather. Her parents needed to be avenged and the only way to do that, the girl rationalized, would be to end the lives of the ones who committed the act of murder. Her muscles tensed in preparation for movement as her gray-blue eyes spotted a hulking male figure -never had she see such a large man- coming to stop before her, searching the room without once turning his head in any direction. She slipped a knife down from her sleeve and made sure to be one with every shadow she moved in, stalking up behind her prey; the silent hunter. In one deft sweep, she had slit the throat of her first victim before he could even scream for the help of his comrades. Thick, dark blood ran down her hands as the body slumped lifelessly against her, soaking the edge of pajama sleeve; the one that held the knife. Wiping the mans life essence upon his shirt, Kagome slipped the knife back within her sleeve, hooking both her arms around the man's middle as she proceeded to drag him around the corner. She left him to lean against the wall to retrieve her katana.

Her stealth feet brought her across the room and into the large kitchen of her house. As far as she knew there were only two men left for her to take down. She could not defeat them both at once and thus she went with the old saying that went along the lines of 'divide and conquer', another lesson her brother had given her should she be up against a group. Opening up a cupboard, Kagome delved her hand into the depths to pull out a pot and pan. The hint of a grin lit up her face as she began to bang them together, before throwing them across the room with a deafening clamor. She cast a worried glance to the cupboards that hung upon the wall, before climbing upon the counter, using her upper body strength to pull herself up to the top of the shelves. She brought her self to a low crouch in the safe-haven of the shadows the hung there, holding her Katana out to the side in preparation for the strike as she waited.

It was not a long wait.

Another large man pushed open the door a bit hesitantly, holding a gun out before him as his only protection. The room was full of shadows, the moon providing little light to see by. She could not see the face of the man, only the dark shape; that is until he stepped into the light. He looked oddly familiar with his drawn in features and brown shoulder length hair neatly tied back. She had no time for these thoughts. Springing forward, Kagome leaped toward the man swinging her Katana around and efficiently removing his head from his body. Blood painted her with the action, splattering to the floor like rain, while the body fell in slow motion unlike the head that collided with the floor with a thump rolling a few inches from its original location.

Her legs gave out as she sighted what her actions had accomplished, grabbing at the counter to steady her body. Her throat constricted as she forced breath from her lungs, as the world seemed to close in on her; gray blue eyes wide like a dear caught in the headlights. Kagome could hardly believe what she had done this night. Already she had killed two men, one slitting the throat and another by removing his head. She felt as if she were going to be sick. She pushed it all down and forced it to the back of her mind for later, now she needed to stop the other man before he got it in his head to travel up the stairs, finding Souta. She stood a chance, but her brother had no skills in the fighting arts what so ever, being that he was too afraid to learn. He was always afraid of something, and it was her job as big sister to protect him from those fears until he learned to deal with them. Souta would not be able to deal with a murderer, nor would he be able to deal with the weight of ending ones life. It would likely drive him to insanity.

It would probably drive her to insanity as well, but she ignored this thought. Her older brother lived well enough and so could she. Her legs began working once more as she hardened her resolve, abandoning the bloody mess behind her for the living room. Actuating deftly through the darkened room, Kagome kept her ears open to the sounds around her considering her sight was next to useless in the dark, while every nerve ending upon her skin was attuned to the feel of the air around her. This would give her some insight into any possible movement around her.

"Oi, where the hell are you two!" A rough voice shouted. "We don't have time for screwing around, we need to get the damn files and get out of here."

So there truly was only one man left. She was in the living room; she could see the shadowy outline of the couch as well as the shadowy outline of the TV. Running her hand along the bottom of the big screen, she made sure to his every button nearly deafening her when a multitude of sound blasted from the speakers. Whatever the show was, it held tones of explosions. She grinned slightly when the man's cursing reached her ears along with threats towards his companions if they were messing with him. Kagome just stood there in the fighting stance her brother had shown her, muscles taut to spring at any given moment.

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The moon shined upon the ocean surface, making the water glisten as it lapped against the docks. Not a cloud could be seen in the sky, and the lack in lighted streets allowed any passerby see the stars shinning quite clearly. The docks were always quiet, no one moved about the shadows there without a purpose or without a right to be in the vicinity. To do so could mean the ending of your life. It was a well-known fact. These docks belonged to the notorious Shikaku brothers, and none that did not belong in their circle would dare cross their paths if they could help it.

Two men walking side by side, one in a black trench coat and black slacks, his hair pulled at the nap of his neck in a rat-tail with two earrings in the left ear. His violet eyes glittered in amusement, yet the contours of his face held nothing but a somberness to them that seemed to be every part of his character as the purple glove to his left hand. The other was his companion's exact opposite with his long silver tresses were untamed by any hair product, nor was it held in place by any object made for the action. Dressed in a black leather jacket, gray shirt visible, along with baggy black jeans. His amber eyes glittered dangerously, yet they held traces of annoyance within their depths. The contours of his face told of one use to expressing such an emotion, and yet expressing very little else. His clawed hands shoved within his pant pockets, he allowed his amber orbs to slide to the man walking beside him. Though his face did not show his usual farcical expression, he could feel the amusement radiating off of the other man in waves. This alone provoked him beyond anything else. The other man knew this as well and yet he still risked his health.

"Damnit, this isn't funny so shut the hell up!" He yelled.

The other man shook his head; still amused. "I'm not laughing Inuyasha, and I have been as silent as yourself for the last few minutes." Was his rueful reply.

Inuyasha glared, and then turned his sight from the other man. "Miroku," he growled, "if you weren't a weak human I'd have shoved my hand through your stomach by now." He shot in aggravation, speeding up his gait a bit more. There had never been a creature alive, well, besides his brother that could grate upon his nerves like the man keeping up with his strides beside him could.

Miroku did crack a smile this time as he tilted his head to the right to get a look at the rippling ocean. "Then for once I shall be glad that I am only a weak human." This comment was only met with silence, and the violet-eyed man wisely did not break it. They continued on, never breaking their pace, towards their intended destination. The top of the yacht they were meant to have the meeting upon came in to view, and both unconsciously slowed their walk, both not wanting to deal with the heads of other groups in their society. They only complained, and nothing was ever good enough for them. There were times even he felt the urge to run them through, despite his calm and easy going nature.

"It wasn't even that funny." Inuyasha said so suddenly that it caused Miroku to nearly trip over his feet. The amber-eyed man having caught the little fumbled grinned ever so slightly, but oddly enough made no comment upon it.

Miroku nodded his agreement and then in all fake seriousness said. "Of course not." He replied placating. "I agree. The detective's daughter jumping you screaming: look daddy, a puppy, it's a puppy! Over and over again causing you to fall from the pier to ocean is not at all amusing." He could not help the slight choked laugh that made its self-known. Just recalling that moment would have been enough to send any cold-heartless person to their knees in unrelenting laughter; he was lucky to be able to hold back the torrent that was begging for release.

Inuyasha rounded upon his companion, quickly picking him up by the edge of his shirt, slamming him against the metal wall of a storehouse situated before the docks. It was one of the many storehouses that held their supplies; those included a great range of objects. Miroku had been expecting this, but it did not lessen the pain of the blow and thus he could not hold back the groan that escaped his lips. The sound reaching his ears, the amber eyed man dropped his friend, but not before stating firmly. "Erase the image from your mind, Miroku, or else you'll have to sit through the entire meeting with your face rearranged."

Before Miroku could even respond to the threat, his cell rang. All movement ceased, and the violet-eyed man looked at his companion briefly in concern, the emotion being reciprocated in the other mans eyes. There were not many that had his cell number, but if it was whom he thought it could mean trouble tonight at this meeting. A man might have gone rouge. It had happened before, and they would be forced to end the life of a companion in their society; but then that is how their world worked. There was no room for betrayal. Miroku flipped his cell and placed it to his ear. "Hello?" His tone emotionless, contradicting his early self when joking around with his friend; or partner in crime you could say.

"Oh gosh, Miroku!" A frantic voice yelled. "There's someone in the house, Kagome went down to investigate, but Miroku we heard gun shots!"

It was Souta, Miroku realized, his little brother he had not seen in less then a year because of his switch in occupations. He wanted to save his family from a life of running, of being targeted. When the hysterical words finally registered in his brain all color drained from his face; it seems his efforts did not work. "She did what!" He yelled, but forced himself to calm. Souta was already upset enough; the boy did not need his older brother's hysteria as well. "Is everyone alright, where are you?"

"I'm in Kagome's room, but Miroku, mom and jii-chan were down there! We could hear them arguing, Aniki, I think one of them was shot!" His voice trembled, and Miroku knew that he was crying. How he wished that he could take his little brother in his arms and comfort him like he had when the boy was younger. "I'm scared, aniki, pleas come home."

"Stay put and do not move from that spot, I'll be there in a few." He ordered.

"But what about Kagome!"

"Do not worry about her, she is as tough as myself maybe even more so, just stay where you are and don't call the police!" He flipped the phone closed, before opening it again; all the while he ignored his companions curious stare. Dialing in a number rather quickly, he only hopped for a quick answer and let out a relieved sigh when he got one. "Ready the chopper for Hokkaido, I'll be there in ten." He shut the phone once more and turned form the direction of the yacht with hurried steps.

"Oi Miroku, where the hell do your think your going." Inuyasha yelled, halting his violet-eyed companion. "If you haven't forgotten, we've got a job to do." He reminded, his tone laden down with exasperation.

"Something came up, you're going to have to do it alone this time Inuyasha." He then turned around, and the dog -eared man was taken back by the somber expression in his eyes. Never had that reached his eye before, his eyes always held good humor even if the rest of his silhouette did not. "I know that you can handle those fools by yourself, you do not need me for this." He assured. The only problem would be that, he as a man of reason, would not be there to stop his friend from offing a few of them. It was not like it would be a great loss, but then they did not want to make too many enemies.

"If you ditch a job Miroku, you know as well as I do that your as good as dead." He called. It was a law, a code, amongst those in this society of theirs. Botch a job and your boss might be forgiving and allow you another chance, ditch a job and your boss won't take something considered treason to lightly. Inuyasha growled lowly in his chest when the Miroku showed no signs of yielding.

Fishing around in black trench coat, he stared down the silver haired man with hard violet eyes. He pulled forth a gun, tossing it to his companion, his partner watching impassively as he caught it effortlessly. "The only way I'll stay is if you can shoot me in the back as I am walking away from you." Miroku announced and then turned continuing on his way.

Inuyasha looked down at the gun in his hands and then back at the receding figure of his partner with wide eyes. What the hell was so important that he would do this? He wondered silently. Being who he was in this society he could let the man get away with it, but the question was did he really want to deal with his brother over the matter? Shrugging he took aim waiting a few moments before he shot the gun off, hitting the ground at Miroku's feet. "Oi Miroku, you better hurry it up with whatever your doing! I'll only cover your ass for so long!" With that said Inuyasha shoved the gun through his waistband and began his trek alone, to take on bosses from other groups.

Suddenly he grinned widely as a realization hit him, with Miroku out of the way there was no one stopping him from killing every single one of them. He had no weapons on him before, being that he was too trigger happy when annoyed, but since he had a gun now… suddenly things weren't looking so bad. Then he sighed heavily, he could not kill them all though, they still needed at lest some of the idiots alive. Even if they were foolish humans, they still had their uses. Inuyasha did not seem to see what they would be, but his brother said that they were there, so who was he to argue with youkai that loved to stick his hand through his chest every chance he got, right?

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Breathing heavily, Kagome watched with a large amount of trepidation as the door handle turned ever so slightly. Holding her breath entirely as the door was shoved open with a great amount of force, she watching in confusion as a man walked through the door, sword held out before him; cautiously. Neither of the other two she had defeated held any other weapon but a gun, what made this man so special. Maybe she should not have been standing out in plane sight waiting for him. Kagome made a noise in the back of her throat when the man's hard coal eyes pinned her with a dangerous glare. It would seem that he noticed the blood of his accomplices decorating her pajamas as well as the cream colored skin that was visible.

"You witch." The man spat like disgusting curse. "You do killed them didn't you?" He did not wait for an answer before he continued on. "He no ever said anything about a young lass being able to fight, but he did say something about a young man. The bastard." He cursed once more under his breath.

Kagome did not waver from her stance, and placed aside her fear, entering once more into an emotionless state. "Leave here peacefully, or I will be forced into killing you." She didn't want to kill anymore, she did not want to kill anyone in the first place, but she could not allow either of them to reach Souta. Already she had let them murder her parents.

The man laughed. "I don't doubt you have some skills with you lass, but I do no think they could be anywhere near as close to my own." He boasted. "I am no leaving without the disc I came for." He rushed forward, and in one swift movement made an attempt to slit her own throat, but she managed to put her blade in between his own her flesh. As he applied force to her own sword Kagome deftly pivoted around him using his own strength against him so that he was unbalanced, removing her Katana she ran the swords edge against the flesh of his stomach. The bit of it caused her attacker to flinch back in pain. He looked up at her with murder in his eyes and slammed his sword down forcefully and it was all Kagome could do to block against it. He then kicked her middle causing her to propel backwards unto the couch. She looked up without an ounce of fear in her eyes, being that she was still in the emotionless state her brother had taught her to maintain in battle. "Do you have any last words little lass?"

Kagome never heard the gunshot, and thus looked on in confusion as the man slumped to the ground, blood pouring from the corner of his mouth. "The question would be, do you?" At lest she was confused until she heard his voice.

With tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, the young woman jumped from her position on the couch and launched herself at her big brother; burying herself in his embrace. He held her fast, resting his cheek at the top of her head while smoothing the dark hair down her back. Miroku tightened his hold as he realized how close he had come to losing her. When he had entered the house, he had seen his grandfather and mother; rage had held him fast. Never before had he killed a man out of rage, and never before had his sister killed. He was sorry that she was forced into doing this, guilty that he was not there for her; there to protect both his siblings from such a situation. "It's okay Kagome, its okay." He murmured into her hair. "I'm here, I'll always be here for you and Souta." He assured, trying to calm her shivering body as sobs escaped her throat.

"Miroku it was so horrible." She choked into his trench coat. "I couldn't save them, I was too late to save them." She whimpered, and it tore at Miroku's heart. He could not protect her from this, no matter how hard he had tried.

"It wasn't your fault imotou." He soothed, as she wrapped her arms around his waist to gain more comfort. Maneuvering a hand into his trench coat, Miroku pulled forth his cell, flipping it open. Hitting the speed dial button, he placed the phone to his ear. "Inuyasha, I need you to send a clean up crew to the Sunset Shrine in Hokkaido." He requested. "I need it now."

"The place you supposedly became a monk at?" He questioned skeptically. "What for?"

"Five were killed tonight, three men that need to be tossed off somewhere and two innocents. A woman in her forties, and an old man nearing his seventies." Miroku explained tonelessly. "I believe the three men were sent by you know who."

"How certain are you?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Not very but," he hesitated and then reluctantly said, "there are two witnesses that saw and heard things. I also want them under surveillance while they say at one of the safe houses." Miroku did not know how he was going to get Inuyasha to agree to such a measure, but then maybe if he made them sound irreplaceable. He knew, that if they were whom he thought, what they would want with his home. They were looking for something of his father's, something that he was killed for by his own government. Anger seeped into his bones at the remembrance. When he had found out about how the people he had sworn his allegiance to betrayed him, Miroku then found himself with the men of the society he use to take in to what the government claimed was justice. He looked down and noticed that his little sister had fallen into slumber within his embrace. He smiled warmly. He would do anything to protect them, to protect his remaining family, Kagome and Souta.

"Why go through all that trouble Miroku, why not just get the answers you want and leave them with their lives?" There was a long pause on the other line, before he could hear Inuyasha sigh heavily in annoyance. "Don't tell me, it's a gorgeous woman, right? Damnit Miroku we can't be using our resources like this because you want to get laid!" He yelled into the receiver. Miroku had to hold the phone away from his ear a bit.

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He does not know that she is your sister, nor can he ever find out. He told himself mentally to calm the rising anger Inuyasha's comment brought about. "Of course she is, the most beautiful that I have ever seen." He replied softly to the hanyou's other comment. Every brother, despite what they say verbally, thought that their sister -or even mother- was the most beautiful woman/ women in the world. When that special someone is found then she of course in mentally added to that list. "That is not why I want this done, she and her brother over heard something very interesting and I think that should we let them alone he will only send more men after them for their lives."

There was another long suffering sigh and then a few moments latter a voice replied, dripping with defeat. "Fine!" He grumped. "Take the girl and her brother to my apartment in Kyoto, the one I never use, and you had better make sure Sesshoumaru finds out nothing about this. He'd kill me, and I've already ticked him off enough as it is this week." He confided tiredly. "I'll have the crew over in a few."

"Thanks, I owe you one." Miroku responded heartily, and though Inuyasha thought it odd he did not comment upon it.

"Damn right you do! First you ditch the meeting forcing me to cover you, now your wanting a clean up crew, surveillance and a safe house." He snapped over the line. "You had better know what your doing, Sesshoumaru finds out about this and it won't be you with the fist protruding from you back." The line then went dead and Miroku knew that Inuyasha had hung up on him. With a heart felt sigh he shoved the phone back within his trench coat pocket. Sesshoumaru really wasn't the sadist Inuyasha made him out to be, still, if he were to catch him on a bad day this assessment of the hanyou's may come to pass. It made him feel guilty, or at least it would have had Inuyasha not put him in the same pot with that one incident a couple years ago.

Standing while securing Kagome in his arms, Miroku did not spare a glance to the man he had killed, he began his trek up the stairs to check upon Souta. The boy must be out of his mind with fright, considering how long it had been since he had talked to him.

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A/N: I hope that you all enjoyed this story!!!

Okay, I've got a question for you all. Should I make Sesshoumaru with Rin or Kagura? I now what all the other pairings will be, but I can not decide on this one. Who do you, the readers, want to see with Sesshoumaru? I will place the votes up with every new chapter -k- and whomever has the most votes by like the fourth chapter will be who Sesshoumaru ends up with.

Another question: Do you all like the title of this story, or do you think I should change it? I'm not so sure upon it myself. I had two other names that I was going to go with, they were:

Eyes of Darkness

Devious Intentions

What do you all think, which one suites the story better?

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my story R&R

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This chapter has been revised, if there are any mistakes that I have missed feel free to tell me about them. This chapter is pretty long and if is easy to miss some things


	2. Living a Lie

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!!!

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter One: Living a Lie

**_K_**icking the door open with a bang, Miroku wince when Souta screeched barely ducking out of the way of the shoe thrown his way. "Calm down, outou." He whispered soothingly. He watched painfully as his little brother gripped his chest breathing heavily, eyes opened as wide as they could possibly go. This should not have happened. He had failed Souta and Kagome by allowing them to go through this. The reasoning behind their not knowing his true face was to keep them from having to live through such a terrible ordeal. They had to see their mother and grandfather die, granted Souta did not see, but he still had to live with the knowledge of it. Miroku took in a agonizing breath as he gripped Kagome closer, sitting upon her dark blue blanketed bed. "Sit down outou." Souta complied with his wishes, albeit a bit hesitantly.

There was a pregnant pause as Miroku thought on how to organize his words, but Souta cut into his thoughts with his catechizing. "What happened down there Aniki?" He whispered; his words choked. Disheartening. "I heard gun shots, and mom, grandpa... I... there alright aren't they?" His eyes pleaded for an answer, an answer that was sure to destroy his young heart. Never the less, he needed it. He wanted to know what happened. With as much conviction as he could put forth, the dark haired boy demanded the answer, looking into his brothers violet eyes with his own dark soulful ones. "Don't lie to me, I deserve to know the truth."

Again there was silence, and it stretched on for a long a mount of time.

Torturous.

That is what it was.

How was he to tell his brother his mother was dead and the man whom had presumed the roll of their father with her? This is what the entire situation was, a one way roller coaster ride to hell. He gripped his hand into a fist; the hand blocked from Souta's sight. He was saved from giving any form of response when Kagome moaned in his lap, pressing herself closer. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, before squeezing them shut; tears leaking from the corners. "Tell me that I am dreaming Miroku." She begged pathetically, and it squeezed his heart like nothing else. Never had he seen her looking so venerable in her entire life.

The hesitation was evident upon his face and she knew. Her dream was a reality. Burrowing her face into his trench coat, his little sister began to shake with the force of her sobs. He himself felt like crying. He wanted to cry, but the need to be strong for his family kept him from it. He could feel the tears burn at his eyes, screaming to run free. He would not allow it. They would truly break down if there seemingly strong brother broke down before them in sobs. Wrapping his arms around her, securing her to his chest, Miroku whispered words of comfort to her. Never once did these words consist of 'things would be alright'. They would not be alright, and he could not lie to his sister, but he could tell her the he would be there for her. Miroku could assure her that he would not allow anything more to befall her. When she quieted down quite a bit, did Miroku truly speak with them. "I am going to have you both stay at a friends apartment in Kyoto, but in under no uncertain circumstances are you to leave the building without first calling me, is that clear?" He questioned.

"Why?" Kagome croaked out, her throat having been constricted with the tears shed from earlier.

"I do not know what those men were here for exactly, and in case they were suppose to do away with you as well, I don't want either of you to leave anywhere without my exact knowledge of the location." He replied sternly, eying her levelly. "As I said before, I will be having you stay at a friend's apartment, the thing is you can not let anyone know that you are related to me in anyway. Being an agent as I am, I have many enemies all of which would love to use the two of you against me, it would just be easier if no one knew of our relation." He explained patiently.

Kagome moved from his lap to claim her own place upon her bed, staring into Miroku's violet eyes; searching. Nodding once at what she had found in their depths, she said. "Alright, Souta and I will not tell a soul that were related, right squirt?" She asked to the smaller boy across from her. His eyes were wet with unshed tears, and he trembled slightly was he nodded his consent. "Good." Her eyes had long since dried, her voice coming back to her just as strong as it had been before this whole mess had begun.

The silence that had ensued between them had been so thick, so strenuous that when the cell with in Miroku's trench coat rang all three occupants jumped in slight fright. Breathing in a deep breath of relief while calming his startled heart, he took the cell from his inside pocket checking the caller ID. Flipping the phone open with one hand he held it to his ears. "Yo." He voiced despondently.

"Damn, bouzu, you sound like someone important died." Inuyasha remarked tactlessly and Miroku had to hold back the urge to growl. He knew that his dog friend did not mean to be so callous about the situation, that he did not know he had lost a mother and second father all in one night; that he had also nearly lost a sister and brother as well. He had nearly lost a whole family in the span of one night, the thought was rather disturbing. Inuyasha did not know these things, nor would he ever, and thus Miroku assuaged his ever growing ire at his exceedingly blunt friend. "Look the clean up crew has already started to take care of everything. The bodies were tossed into a ditch somewhere and buried and those innocents are at the societies morgue. I figured that you could be the one to decide what to do with their bodies. I may be stupid half the time, Miroku, but I'm not a complete fool. I can see that they were someone close to you, the only question I need to figure is how close." He let out in a surprising show of intellect that most would think beyond the hanyou's grasp.

He stared at his phone in shocked horror. When had Inuyasha ever shown that much intelligence? He could not recall a moment and that frightened Miroku. How much more of himself had his partner been hiding from the world, from him? Miroku shook the thoughts from his head, ignoring the curious stares of his siblings. "They were friends of my father." He responded dispassionately hoping to dissuade his partner's interest in the matter, and if not that, then, to at lest rid himself of the questions for the moment.

There was a sigh on the other line, and then Inuyasha voice saying softly. "Then I guess I made the right call when I told them not to dump the two bodies in the ditch with the others then, huh?"

Again he had to choke back his astonishment with his partners actions. Never before had the dog shown this side of himself, a side that before he would have said was none existent; if asked. Miroku had always thought the hanyou was a psychotic sadist that was extremely dangerous when a gun -or any weapon for that matter- was introduced to his hands. "Thank you, Inuyasha." He replied, sincerely grateful. At lest he could say his good-byes to his mother and grandfather properly. Not like his father, he had to watch the man drop over a waterfall smashing his soft flesh against rigid rocks on the way down. He squeezed his eyes shut as the memory tried to replay it self within his minds eye. When it had left him fully did he breath in a sigh of relief.

"No problem, and remember… you owe me… big time." Inuyasha reminded austerely. "The surveillance cameras have already been set up all over the apartment, the rooms are set up for their arrival and the house is clean as if blood had never been spilt." There was slight pause on the other line as if he were debating over something, and then he said solemnly. "Whatever it is your hiding from me Miroku, I hope you trust me enough to confide it to me soon, and when I say soon I mean before you and whomever your trying to protect ends up dead." After those words were said his ears met with the dial tone. Inuyasha had hung up on him, not that there was anything unusual in that. It was just the spiel he had spoken to him that gave him pause.

Miroku stared at the phone a moment, before pocketing it. His partner knew something more about his situation then he was letting on. He would have to tread cautiously around the dog for a while, giving him enough time to hopefully forget whatever it was that he managed to find out. His eyes moved from the floor to the curious observing eyes of his siblings. _More innocent blood to be spelt_. He roughly shoved the unwelcome thought to the back of his head, their blood he would not allow. Enough blood had been let in this cause of theirs and he would not allow Souta's and Kagome's to be apart of the endless river.

One would view the government as the shepherds while they were the grazing sheep. They set the fence and allowed them to exist in it, keeping the wolves from nipping at their hides and snapping their necks. They were the ones that set the rules, keeping the corrupt from completely corroding the world with its taint. They gave the country structure and order. In essence this was all true, but only in essence. This is how the government portrayed themselves, as a working unit set to the needs of the people. It was all a lie, a fabrication invented by a greater evil. It was this truth that his father had stumbled upon, and it was this truth that the government had attempted to cover up with the death of his father. Never would they have thought he had the chance to tell another living soul, and never did they think more would find out about such a farce. Never did they think that a society would come into being with the soul intent of taking them down.

He pushed such reminiscing away, moving to concentrate on the largest problem at the moment, or at lest the one that needed his sole attention right about then. Miroku needed to be sure that his siblings understood the severity of the situation they have found themselves in. He needed to make sure that he explained everything carefully, explained things in such a way that informed greatly without giving too much away. He could not afford for them to learn the truth. To know that the government they so trust in was responsible for the death of their father as well as the more recent deaths and then along with the exceedingly startling news that the government was plotting against the very people they governed.

Brushing back the hair that fell in front of Kagome's eyes, his own softened a bit, before hardening with resolve. "As I said before, it is very important that no one is privy to our relation to one another." His words interrupted the silence that had begun it's stretch; he needed to make sure that understood. That his siblings at lest knew a small fraction of what was going on. He could not continue to allow them the ignorance that he has let them wallow in. "I believe that those men work for the man that killed our father." He began calmly. "As long as no one knows that we are related then they will not come after you seeing that it is well known that I am Hakujou Higurashi's son, so if we're not related then you hold no relation to our father and thus are unimportant in their eyes." He wore a thoughtful frown for a moment, before adding. "We'll have to change your last names, how about our grandmother's maiden name? I've always liked it, what about you two?"

While Miroku had been talking Souta had crawled across the bed to set himself in Kagomes lap, wrapping her arms around his smaller frame in a warm and comforting embrace. He had wanted the security all young hearts wished for, to be able to lay within his sisters arms and will himself to forget the horrors that had passed this night. Petting down Souta's dark hair, she secured her arms around him, pulling him up against her, her cheek now resting upon the crown of his head. She locked eyes with her brother, daring him to deny her request. "What do you mean our father's killer?"

A disheartening sigh fell from Miroku's lips. He should have known that Kagome would not leave it at that, that she would delve in deeper until she had every answer her heart could find in the matter. She was too stubborn to let such things lie, to go along and only be contented with what is told to her. She was one that disliked to be left in the dark, and fortunately for her he was going to brighten the darkness of her confusion slightly. "The man that killed our father is looking for something I guess, and had you not been as skilled as you were you would have been killed; seen as an obstacle in the way of their search. The group and I are trying to find out what it is exactly that our father has that they value so importantly, and we've basically come up empty handed." At her look he said heavily. "I know that the agency said that he died while out on a job, that the man was caught and in custody, but the truth is his killer was never captured. They wanted it under wraps that way it would not complicate their case." He shook his head. "Never mind about that, were leaving in a few minutes. Pack whatever you believe you can not live without, whatever you can carry, I'll replace anything that was left behind."

"Are we not coming back here?" Souta inquired, amazingly enough he had managed enough mastery over his own voice that it did not tremble when he spoke this time around. "Aniki?" He inquired once more when his brother had been quite for a such a lengthily amount of time.

"Not for awhile, no." Was his reply. "But when this is all over and done, if you want to, we can come back to this place." He promised. When his younger brother gave a nod of his acceptance he shot Kagome a look that was meant to say, '_take him to his room and pack.' _She answer with her own gray-blue eyes saying their agreement to the silent plea.

When they left the room, when he was sure that they were in Souta's room, did Miroku leave his little sister's quarters making way down the stairway steps at a steady pace. Pausing on the last step, his eyes surveyed the room silently amending his approval. They had certainly done a wonderful job a riding the room of the blood, cleaning it up to look as if a struggle had never taken place. The blood that had poured from the man he had shot dead was gone, not even leaving a stain upon the beige carpeted floor. It was quite impressive work considering he could not rid himself of such liquids from his cloths, thus causing him to rack up the bills upon his credit card. He would have to remember to speak with the cleaning crew, talk to them about the removal of stains.

He shook his head of the thoughts, taking from his trench coat his cell, dialing up another number for what would be nearing the fifth time this night. "You say it, we imitate it! What can I do for you?" A childish tone questioned over the line, a slight giggle to his voice.

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Did you come up with that one all by yourself this time, or was their more involved with this?" He questioned tiredly, rubbing his right eye that ached with his exhaustion. Before coming home and having to deal with this entire mess he had to deal with the detectives down at the pier. It may not have been so bad if Inuyasha had not lost his temper nearly slashing the man apart; he had been doing so well confusing the detective with his words he nearly got the man to leave forgetting the true reason he came in the first place. Inuyasha always seemed to use the worst times to bring his temper into the mix, though he did have to admit the detectives daughter was a very exasperating girl. After the whole fiasco of Inuyasha falling into the ocean from the pier he had to start working the man all over again. Still even with all those blunders he managed to make the man forget all the inane charges that were being brought up against them.

"Of course I did, don't you like it. I say it was better then the last one. '_Do you need a sexy girl at your side but are too damn ugly to get it, then grab a kitsune! It's better then a blow up doll! How may we help you?' _What do you think, huh? Though personally I would say this one was a tab bit more humorous then the new one." The voice admitted grudgingly. "But hey I came up with this one on my own, it took all of them to come up with that one." He stated proudly and Miroku could almost see the prideful look upon his face, chest puffing out in a stance to rival his partner Inuyasha on one of his more arrogant days. He really needed to keep that kit away from the hanyou, it was really doing bad things for him.

"Shippo what happened last time when Sesshoumaru called this line and you answered the phone with that little tidbit?" He questioned slowly.

There was a bit of a pause before the childish voice of Shippo said, a bit hesitantly. "He said he was going to come over here and rip me a new whole, well not in those exact words, but I do remember having to hide out with you and Inuyasha for a while. The other kitsune had holes in their stomachs for a couple of weeks." He replied to the question. "But this time it's different! This time I got his permission to use this line, and he said as long as it wasn't offensive like that last one, he said that it was alright." He edified excitedly. "So what do you need this time, Miroku? I know that you didn't call just to chat, you never do."

"Ah, you know me so well." He stated dramatically. "But I have a question for you, what is so wrong with myself calling in to say, hi every now and then?"

"Cut the crap Miroku and tell me what you want, I have other things to take care you know!" Came the annoyed shout from the other line, Miroku had to hold the phone a couple inches from his ear or risk going death from the high pitched sound.

"With the way you talk and carry yourself Shippo, I find myself constantly having to remind myself that you are only five." He remarked calmly. Everyone in the society had their own sob stories, and the kit was no different. Having his mother die after he was brought to this world to be raised by a drunk of a father till he was three, Shippo was dropped off at the nearest dumpster when his father got sick of caring for him. It was by the luck of the fates that the poor boy just happened to have been tossed aside near the bar he and Inuyasha had been currently drinking at, otherwise he may still be digging around for left over scraps of meat and other such foods. It was how they found him, bundled up in a torn paper bag his nose wrinkled at the site rotten fish as he prepared himself to devour the edible substance whole. Ever since then the kit rarely ever left their sides, only did so when working the phone for this group of their society. The shape shifters. They really came in handy when they did not want the world, or specifically the authorities, to find out they had removed another from existence.

"I'm six now you half-wit!" He squawked in outrage. Though Miroku had reason to believe the kit was spending far too much time with the half-demon being that the auburn haired boy had become like a second Inuyasha. When neither were around it was a constant joke between those that knew them in the society. If Inuyasha every found out he'd likely kill all of them; but would only get as far as threatening to shove their entrails down their throats. Shippo was likely to try the same, but since he was deemed as cute as a kitten -at lest by the females of the group- the words would not have the same effect as the half-demons.

"That's right, my apologies." All humor drained from his voice as he continued on. "I need four kitsune down at the Sunset Shrine to act as the caretakers." He explained, getting down the reason for impromptu call. "Have them ready for a moments notice, Shippo, when the information is faxed to them I will expect for the kitsune to reach the shrine before sun rise. If the guest do not see the caretakers when they arrive it could bring about unwanted questions."

"Righty'O!" Shippo cheered. "Is that all?" He questioned curiously.

"Yes!"

"Alright then, everything is as good as done!" There was a small pause then Shippo asking almost hesitantly, his voice exceedingly small. "Miroku when will I be able to stay with you and Inuyasha again, I don't really like it here." His voice sounded as it should, as a small six-year-old boy. It made Miroku's brows draw up in confusion and slight surprise.

"Is everything alright down there, are they not treating you well." He asked softly trying to coax the fox in to confiding the information to him. The kit had as much, if not more pride then Inuyasha and it took him a full week before trying to get him to admit he was being pick on. He only hoped that it would be brought from him a lot sooner this time, like during this phone call.

The long pause over the other line had Miroku more then worried, already he consider the kit family as he was sure that Inuyasha did as well; even if it would take hell breaking lose to get him to admit to it. The man whom picked on Shippo ending up in the hospital with lacerations all over his body should be proof of that, Miroku only wished the half-demon had found another way to deal with the situation. Though Miroku had to admit if he had come face to face with the dock engineer first he would have likely shot him point blank. At the time Shippo was four, and the man in his twenties had no right to beat any child black and blue; even if the child were demon and the bully a human.

It was that reason -he fully believed- that Shippo's abuser got away with his life. Inuyasha wasn't one to take the life of a human, unless they truly tick him off beyond all reasoning, being that he viewed them as the weaker species boasting that he did not feel like killing someone that couldn't even injure a fly. Of course when he pointed out that he was human and he could hurt a fly just well enough as had he taken down a demon; Inuyasha would just growl and curse out his customary _'keh'_.

When Shippo's voice finally drifted to his ears, he found himself jumping slightly. For so long it had been quite that he was unprepared for the sudden sound. "I just don't like it hear it all." His tone subdued. He didn't like that at all.

With a disheartening sigh Miroku said. "I will speak with Inuyasha as well, and we shall see about it." This would bee the fourth time they had too move Shippo to another job in their society. For some unknown reason the workers did not like him hanging around and chose to take out this dislike physically, sometimes verbally. Miroku did not understand it, they always seemed to think he was cute enough, and he found nothing wrong with his personality for them to be treating him in such a harsh way. "Till then take care and try to stay out of every ones way." Once he heard his agreeing words, Miroku hung up the phone.

Turing he found his brother and sister watching him curiously. _How much did they hear? _He pushed the question away, in that one call he revealed nothing of his working life and thus it did not matter really what they heard. Both stood basically covered bags strapped across them, two rather large suite cases occupying their hands. With one last searching look he motioned for his sibling to fallow him out, and fallow him they did, their hearts heavy with the knowledge they would be leaving their home. A place where they had built their memories with two members of their family that had died that night.

****

Sitting before the incarnate of all evil's desk, he took in a deep breath and prepared to speak his little white lie. He only hope his cold, calculating, heartless bastard of a brother was in a good mood for once. He slumped back in his seat, amber eyes watching the man seated across from him warily. He did not like the look upon his stoic brother's face, there was a shrewdness to the mans amber eyes that set all his instincts on the defensive. His brother knew something that he did not, he would have to play this white lie thing carefully, though it would be extremely difficult without Miroku here.

As if reading his mind Sesshoumaru's eyes glared pointedly to the unoccupied seat next to his own, asking coolly. "Where is your perverted partner this evening?" Those frosty eyes were back upon him, causing him to shift uneasily in his chair. _Damn, he knows something, I know it. _His inner voice growled out lowly in his mind. They way his brother's eyes watching him as if daring him to give an answer; Inuyasha did not like this situation at all. "Well?"

Putting as much heat into a glare of his own, he stared Sesshoumaru down in a battle of wills. "How the hell should I know! One minute he's there and the next he's gone." Sesshoumaru rose a brow in question. It would not do him any good if he were to have continued with the lie he had prepared, not when there was that knowing look to his eyes. Any fool knew that about Sesshoumaru, you had a better chance at living if you came out with the truth first. "He got a phone call from some girl, apparently one of 'His' men trashed the place killing her mom and grandfather. Miroku says they were looking for something, so he wants the place to be under surveillance to see if they come back."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head in agreement with his words. "Yes, I was already informed of this matter." He stated calmly, waiting for his brother's reaction to this bit of information.

Jumping from his seat and point a finger towards him, Inuyasha yelled out of frustration; the idiot got him all worked up over nothing. "Then why did you ask if you already knew the answer!" He ragged, barring his fangs and claws.

With a well placed glare he had Inuyasha reclaiming his seat, but it was not with fear but with an unwillingness to walk around with a hole through the stomach for a couple days till it healed. "The clean up crew faxed me the report, making a call to see if I had received it. Apparently you and Miroku ordered this, among other things." He said distastefully. He did not like the idea that his brother was doing things behind his back, they were suppose to be working together in this. "It was a rather interesting report, the way these men died." Taking the file from his desk he tossed it to Inuyasha, watching dispassionately as he caught it single handedly.

Opening the manila folder carefully, he pulled out its contents, amber eyes studying the pictures with a sick sort of fascination. On the first couple of pictures the head was severed from the body, and if one looked at the skin closely you could see that the slash was done in a downward cut, not upward. Whomever had done this had to have come up upon the man from behind or down from a high surface. He doubted the last one, though since it was in the a house in what looked to be a small kitchen. The next couple of pictures focused upon the next bodies throat, while there was one viewed from afar. The incision was deeper from the right, but as it proceeded on the cut became shallow. It was obvious this killer was right handed then, but Miroku was left. Everything but groping women was done with his left hand.

What was Sesshoumaru trying to say, did he believe that someone else killed these men besides Miroku? He came upon the final set of pictures, this man was shot through heart. There were only two, and it focused upon the mans upper half while the other focused upon a slash running down his side. This could have been done by anyone, but he was more inclined to believe that it was his partners doing then another. Who else could hit their target, the middle of his heart, with such expertise accuracy. The slash was obviously done with a katana, but it was shallow thus indicating it was not made at close range. He did not bother with reading the report, already impatient with the need to know the point in all of this.

He brought his eyes from the pictures, to Sesshoumaru's figure, narrowed in confusion. "What, you think that someone else killed these men? The only other person there besides Miroku was a girl and her little brother, I doubt very much that they could have dealt this kind of damage. The supposed monk probably picked up a sword on his way." Inuyasha suggested. Sesshoumaru never allowed the two of them more then a gun to defend themselves in case things got out of hand as a show of faith to the other leaders of the groups in their society. Inuyasha on the other hand was allowed nothing but his claws, seeing that he was a bit trigger happy when angered or annoyed. He on the other hand found it quite unfair, it wasn't his fault his hand happened to slip when is ire rose, nor was it his fault when the bullet happened to hit the one ticking him off.

"I checked into it, apparently he went straight to the chopper and then straight there taking the pilot's gun from him. The one with the bullet hole in his chest was done in by Miroku, but the other two were murdered by another hand." Sesshoumaru stated assuredly, and then held out his own clawed hand, a sudden realization coming over him. "Hand over the gun little brother."

Inuyasha was about to give in to his elder brother's demand, before remembering a little something his childhood friend had told him in case he ever found himself in a situation with Sesshoumaru where he was about to receive a serious injury. Suddenly he grinned widely, shaking his head. "I think I'm going to keep it with me." He said contumaciously, the features of his face contorting into smug arrogance.

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat, his clawed hand glowing a bright green, oozing with his self made poisons. "Inuyasha now is not a good time to mess with me, I am in no mood to deal with your insubordination. Hand over the gun or be stuck in the societies infirmary for a couple of days, your choice." He threatened lowly in his throat, preparing himself to leap over the desk at any given second.

Inuyasha's grin grew wider if at all possible, as he said haughtily. "Yeah, well Rin said that if you lay another hand on me then you've got her to deal with." He almost laughed out glee at the look of pure panic that over came his brother's normally emotion vacant features, the green glow about his claws dispersed immediately as he allowed himself to fall back in his seat a pout to his lips. Leaping from his seat and bursting through Sesshoumaru's office doors, Inuyasha called over his shoulder. "I guess I'll be leaving now, with the gun!" He did laugh this time as his brother's irritated roar reached his ears. He had finally won against Sesshoumaru and he had Rin to thank for it.

They had known each other since birth, being that both of their moms were best friends and pregnant at the same exact time. It was strange, but he was grateful for the brown eyed dark haired girl, if not for her Sesshoumaru would have probably killed him a long time ago with his minimal injuries he like to give out. Rin was as scarier then Sesshoumaru on a killing rampage in his dog form when she was angry, and scarier still when she was beyond mad. Inuyasha, though, was barely certain it wasn't that fact that made him bow down to her every whim; fearing her wrath. As much as it was difficult for him to digest, he would have to say that his brother was in love with the girl or as close to the emotion as the stoic inu-youkai could get.

Then there was that Kagura, he seemed to have a soft spot for her as well as Rin. Inuyasha on the other hand did not like the wind sorceress, though it could be that he was a bit bias being that she wasn't too kind to Rin. A girl that he thought of as a sister, that he thought of as the nicest woman in the world. One that treated him with kindness while other's snubbed him for his mixed blood. He shook the thoughts from his mind, keeping up his course to the place Miroku was sure to be at. He needed to kick the perverts behind to the bottom of the seven hells for leaving him to deal with his stupid half-brother alone.

****

The rain pounded the outside world heavily, and to the ears that could hear it the sound was surprisingly peaceful. Especially with the added sound the rumbling thunder. Darkened rooms being illuminated through blind covered windows with flashes of lightening off in the distance.

She sat in her new darkened home after just arriving there hours ago receiving a tour of the place by her brother. He had tried to make the rest of the evening a bit more enjoyable, but she just was not in the mood. Her younger brother had long since went to bed, thinking she had fallowed suite after making way to a room Miroku had deemed to be hers. The room was made up of bright pinks and purples, it was enough to make her ill; blue, red, black or white would have been better. Being that she was not picky, nor was she a complainer, she said nothing about the room only excepting his words with a gentle tilt of her head. Souta's room consisted of blue and white and, like her own room, it consisted of nothing but a bed and a empty dresser and few shelves off to the sides. She could tell that the rooms were hastily put together, the paint still being fresh.

She moved her body from the stool she resided in, walking towards the sliding glass door, placing a hand against it's cold smooth surface. Her eyes stared out into the city over head. The apartment was a penthouse really, covering entire top of the apartment complex. She had been expecting it to be small, but in reality is was huge, having its own indoor pool a gigantic kitchen with several rooms they were likely to never use. Had it have been any other day she may have shown her amazement, laughing as she explored each room along with her little brother while Miroku smiled at them. The same went for the chopper ride, she had never been upon one before, nor had she been on any contraption that flew through the air; she was too torn up inside to enjoy it. It would seem that Souta had felt pretty much the same way as herself.

She then rest her cheek upon the cool glass, willing herself to remain in control of her emotions. She would not cry, she could not cry. She had to be strong for Souta, just like before, just like when there father had died. She did not cry then either, she needed to be together for her family, to take care of them protect them since Miroku was not their to do it. She lifted herself from leaning against the glass, _why is it so hard this time!_ She thought despondently, trying unsuccessfully to gain control over her emotions. _Is it because I had lost two people instead of one, is it because I don't have her too comfort me now? Too keep the tears away._

She pushed open the glass door and stepped out onto the balcony, moving out from underneath the roof over her head. Kagome sighed as she reveled in the feel of the cold rain hitting her heated flesh. She moved until her arms rested over the railing her eyes gazing downwards despite the uneasy feeling it gave her. "Mama, I need you." She whispered. If not for the rain you would be able to see the hot tears coursing down her cheeks. She had to be strong around everyone so that they could be weak, she never had to be strong for her mother; it was the one time she could be weak with another present.

Kagome let her body fall to the ground, her eyes staring at the cloud filled sky emotionlessly as the rain pelted her flesh, chilling her to the bone while soaking her clothing and hair. As she lay there her mother's song passed softly from her lips. "_I'll kiss the flame…_

And reach for the stars…

I'll take your hand….

And ease all your pain…

I'll dry your tears…

And lift up your spirits…

I'll make you laugh…

And guard your heart…" She paused humming deep in her throat, closing her eyes, concentrating upon the rain caressing her skin like a lost lover. After a few more moments she began the haunting melody once again. Words her mother would sing to her when she felt the need to cry. "_Take me in…_

I want to feel your light…

Hold me tight…

I can't stand this agony…

Drowning in Sorrow…

My soul is lost to Darkness…

Be my guide…

Show me the way…

Bring me freedom of my pain…

Let me drown in you..." Kagome began humming once again, her tears had stopped as had the rain, but she still laid there upon the soaked balcony in her own soaked clothes. In a few more moments she would return to her new bedroom and replace her wet cloths for dry ones. In a few more moments she would be playing strong once again for her younger brother.

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A/N: Something that I should have explained before is that the paring be this:

Inuyasha/ Kagome

Miroku/ Sango

Naraku/ Kikyou

Kouga/ Ayame

Shippo/ Souten

Kohaku/ ?

I will not be focusing on any one person in this story, I will make it all very equal between the characters, though it is mostly about the death of Miroku's father and plot that the government has against the world that they are figure out and stop.

The votes are in, and if you want your vote to count get it in before the fourth chapter:

Sesshoumaru/ Rin : 3

Sesshoumaru/ Kagura : 2

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Review Answers: 

Kara- Thank you for your review and vote, so far it looks as if Rin is going to be with Sesshoumaru, but you never know, ne? I'm glad that you liked it, and I agree with you there on your views with their relationship.

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Devour Thy Flame- oh be quite, I know for a fact that you do cringe at the sight of blood sis… anyways thanks for the nice review and if you check your own reviews you'll see that I've review your fic as well.

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Vixen 12089- I'm glad that you think so, I like Rin and Sesshoumaru together as well, I was just curious as to who you all wanted to see him with. My sister wants Kagura.

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trixie-trix- I know it was sad. About the brother thing, I asked my best friend about it once -he's got like three sisters all but one younger then him- and according to his logic most brothers feel that if they tell their female sibling lies like that that it will lower their confidence around the male species thus saving them from having to deal with all of their boyfriends, at lest that is what he says. Thanks for the review, and I'm glad that you liked my story

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Demon Exterminator Barbie- I'm glad that you like it, I made Kagome like myself, I was kind of getting tired of reading stories -and the series- were she always played out the helpless damsel in distress waiting for Inuyasha or anyone else to save her. I gave the story humor since it is going to be very intense, and everyone should be willing to risk death for their family; I would, they are all that I have.

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Grins: Thank you so much for the review, and the comments, it was nice of you to say.

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Hello : Thanx for the comment, I'm glad that you think so!

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Hellkeeper: Thank you for the review, I really appreciate it! They make me want to get out another chapter sooner! -Zonza

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Review! Review! Review! Don't forget!

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This chapter has been revised, if there are mistakes that I have missed please feel free to email me about them or leave a review; thanks -Zonza


	3. Precautionary Brother

peccadillo

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Disclaimer: Don't own 'em! Nuff said!

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Three: Precautionary Brother

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He felt numb as he watched her through the glass monitor, she appeared so fragile. He'd never bared witness to a moment like this before. Sure there were times when she had cried upon his shoulder, just like she had in what once was the safe confines of there shrine home. What he bore witness to now was enough to render his heart speechless, cold, searing with pain; among other things. He wanted to rush back up those stairs, back to the top of the apartment complex and demand for her to come back inside, to dry herself off before she made herself sick. That is what he wanted to do, but it would have been bit too suspicious. He had just left them and said he would be back in the morning to check upon them. Also, being as smart as she was, Kagome would have wondered how he had known she was out their in the first place.

Miroku shook his head, eyes never straying from their silent vigil of the monitor screen. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, he could do nothing about her laying out in the rain at the moment. He could tell from the way her lips moved that she sang their mother's song. He could barely remember how the verses of the song were sung, nor could he recall the exacting wording of the song, but the words fell into memory as he read them from her lips. He did, however, know the melody by heart.

When the song had ended, and the rain long since stopped falling he watched and waited for Kagome to return to her bed. Once she had done so he flipped the switch that went to Souta's room and was relieved to find that the boy was still fast a sleep in his bed. He peered in on the peaceful scene for quite sometime. _They're going to have to be set up in a new school_, He thought absently as he watched, _and edible food stocked in the cabinets_.Knowing Inuyasha the only thing that could be considered safe enough to eat in his house would be the ramen. That's how it was in everyone of the hanyou's abodes.

Miroku sighed, this was going to be one long bad experience and he didn't need his monk heritage to foresee it. No, he could already tell this one by logic and the events that have and are sure to take place. He stood from his seat heading towards the vans exit. He had other things to take care of as well, he would just have to trust the men he asked to watch things from here.

Before he had even placed one hand upon the door it was flung open to admit his partner, every square inch of him froze in alarm. Could he see the monitors from here? He had better get himself under control else the half-demon would sense it. The silver haired man always seemed to sense his moods, and in times like these it was a real pain.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku questioned as he tried to force both of their ways through the entrance without too much suspicion. "What are you doing here?" He nearly made it to the outside world, but the dog had to ruin it by forcing him back inside, closing the door behind them with a bang.

Inuyasha took a seat, his amber eyes taking in the sight of the little boy sleeping, before tuning to watch Miroku intently. Something was up, he could feel it. There was something that his partner was keeping from him and the hanyou did not like it one bit. "We need to talk." He tossed out casually, with a dangerous and demanding undertone. "Is that the girl's brother?" Inuyasha inquired, only receiving a nod in turn. The kid was too young, and too scrawny to wield a sword with the skill and power it took to do those men in. Not only that, but also too innocent. He had the look of one that would suffer insanity upon taking another life.

"Inuyasha I don't see the point in this. What is it that you came here to speak with me about?" He did not want to talk in this van, he didn't want his partner in this van nor anywhere near his family. They may be friends, but he did not want anyone involved in this ordeal to be near his siblings. That is one of the main reasons he has stayed away from them for so long. One year, he had not seen his mother and grandfather in a year and now they were dead. Miroku cringed mentally, he did not want to think of such things in the presence of Inuyasha.

The said half-demon leaned back in his chair. "Sesshoumaru got a hold of the information cause the cleaning crew are bunch of idiots when it comes to secrecy." He grouched. "He called me to his office to show me some interesting pictures of the bodies that were dumped." Again he threw these words out casually, with an undertone of something else. Inuyasha watched his partner carefully, looking for signs of anything in the man's suddenly somber features. _He knows something that he doesn't want to share, but he'll share it._ "You only had a gun Miroku, and your left-handed, not right." His eyes drifted from his partners face to the monitor, watching as the boy breathed in deep breaths of sleep. "Who killed the other two, Miroku, and don't lie to me. I want to know what is going on!"

Miroku cringed slightly, but the hanyou did not notice, he was too busy watching his youngest sibling sleep and for some reason it unnerved him. "The two men were dead when I got there, and the other I shot before they could kill the girl." He gave Inuyasha a side long look and hoped against hope that he did not see through his small fabrication. "I didn't think to ask if they killed anyone, it would have been a bit heartless since they're parents had just died this night." He replied in a monotone.

Inuyasha eyed his friend. _He lied. _Never had Miroku lied to him before, it confused and hurt him a bit. Friends weren't suppose to lie, but then perhaps his partner had a good reason. Inuyasha's amber eyes hardened a bit. He better have a damn good reason too! "Fine!" He sighed out in frustration. "Don't tell me, but you had better find a way to give me the truth about the situation soon." He growled lowly. "Before the situation gets out of hand."

Miroku nods his agreement. "I'll tell you, but not now."

The hanyou could agree with that as well, it was better then not being told at all. The monk was really getting him curious with all of this secrecy stuff. It had just better not be a life or death situation like he figured it to be. Miroku may be any annoying pest most of the time, but he was still a friend; one of his only friends. There was a slim to none chance that he would allow the bouzu to face such a problem by himself.

Turning his eyes back to the monitor, Inuyasha's brows drew a bit as a sliver of light spilled across the boys bed. Thinking it may have been an intruder he paid rapt attention to the scene, only to have his eyes widen further when a delicate looking girl approached the bed, kneeling before it. Hearing Miroku's gasped almost had him looking in the monks direction, but he refrained from doing so. He wanted to see what this girl looked like, but the shadows covered most of her features, even with his enhanced eyesight, it was difficult to see when it was only a monitor he was looking at. Something that only had slightly better sight then a human. He watched as she laid a hand upon her bother's forehead; lips moving soundlessly. Why hadn't Miroku placed bugs in the apartment, besides the cameras? It didn't make since, unless there were things that he didn't want the surveillance team to hear. Just what was his partner hiding?

The girl spoke a few more words, possibly ones of comfort. The kid was probably having a nightmare, when that had started once he had taken his eyes off of him; for he was sleeping what looked to be soundly then. She patted his stomach comfortingly before placing a kiss upon his cheek, rounding to the other side she got into the bed with her brother, holding him close. He could almost see the faint smile upon her face when the boy's grimace disappeared.

"She's the boy's sister?"

"Yes." Miroku replied faintly.

Something was wrong, or at lest something else besides this secret that was being kept from him. There was a girl that could not see them and Miroku made not one lewd comment about her appearance. It was disturbing to say the lest. Any girl that had come into his sights, the monk could not stop talking about her curves, her facial features and chest. He would comment on how she would be in bed by the way she moved. He got none of this as they sat here watching the girl's display with her brother. What made this girl so special? Who was this girl that Miroku would not say a word about her in that way? Even though he could not see her too well, he could see her enough to know that she was not horrendous.

He needed to perform a little test, turning his head slightly to hide a fanged grin, Inuyasha said. "She's hot!" He crowed, yet cringing mentally. He was going to be playing Miroku for the moment, who wouldn't cringe at the thought? "Did you get a look at those legs, and her chest! Such great curves and that ass, man what guy wouldn't want her, ne Miroku?" He inquired his eyes not leaving the screen. Despite that, he could feel the anger radiating off of his friend. Not the reaction he was looking for. Why did he sense so much anger from the man, was he really serious about this girl. He had thought there was something going on between him and Rin's friend Sango. He actually like her, she put the monk in line when he stepped out of it with his infamous hand. "Why aren't you saying anything Miroku?" He asked.

Miroku's eyes widened a tad bit in realization. Inuyasha was not one to remark upon ones form, nor their appearance. The hanyou had been testing him, looking for a reaction. The half-demon was a lot smarter then he had first gave him credit for. For the first time in knowing his friend he was seeing another side to him that he did not know existed. "What do you mean?" He catechized, feigning indifference.

"Who is she to you?" Inuyasha demanded. "There is a girl that is not so bad looking and you've said nothing about her. You only do this with women you are close to, which so far is Rin." He said matter of fact. "But I think the real reason there is that you know I, or worse yet Sesshoumaru, would kill you for touching her inappropriately." He paused a moment and looked the monk up and down, daring him to lie. "I ask again, who is she to you?"

"Nobody."

Inuyasha stood from his seat and made his way towards the exit. "Fine then, don't tell me." He grouched, pausing to glance at his friend one last time before he left. "But I will find out, and you may not like how I accomplish it."

Miroku clenched his fist. "What do you mean by that Inuyasha?" He called to his retreating friend. "Are you threatening me with this?"

"No." He could hear the amusement in the hanyou's voice, along with the slight dangerous undertones. "I don't like being lied to, especially by my friends." He spat. "Doesn't matter, just know you either tell me soon, or I find it for myself. Telling me would be easier, but you seem dead set against that." With that Inuyasha slammed the van door shut, causing his friend to wince.

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I'm sorry Inuyasha, but I can't tell you! He thought miserably, _it would jeopardize things._

Morning came all to quickly for her, the sun spilling through the open blinds of the window making it a point to see if they could blind her despite her closed lids. She squeezed her eyes tight in an attempt to block the light; to no avail. Hadn't she shut the things before going to sleep like she did every night? She groaned, and rolled over to hide her face from the sun's aggravating rays only to find that she could not.

With more then a little annoyance, she cracked open an eye to see just watch restricted her movements, only to have her eye spy Souta. With another groan she wondered why on the earth her brother always felt the need to climb into be with her. He needed to get over his fears and let her have her nice comfy bed all to herself. She sighed mentally, she did not mean that at all. She liked it that her brother came to her with his fears, she liked the feeling protecting him from those fears gave her.

She sat all the way up, careful not to wake her still snoozing brother. With a large jaw-cracking yawn, Kagome's eyes blurrily took in her surrounding that she noticed seemed a bit off. A few moments of looking around was all that she needed before freezing so completely on the bed that she realized was not hers, that her heart had stopped, before beating once again in strained beats that literally hurt like physical blows.

She remembered.

It all came flooding back like an unforgiving torrent.

She was orphaned now, she and her brother.

Why couldn't she had just stayed asleep? Why did she have to wake up and remember? Why did it continue to hurt so much that she wish someone would be merciful and end all of the pain brewing in her chest and weak limbs with death.

She couldn't die, though, her brother needed her. Taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves, to calm the tears that wanted to rain down from her eyes Kagome leaped from the bed, with a grace that belittled her personality. When Souta woke up he would be hungry, he would want breakfast. A sad smile touched her lips, their mother always had breakfast ready and waiting for them in the mornings.

Cringing at the cold feel of the tile beneath her skin padded feet, Kagome made her way silently towards the kitchen. She had gotten lost once on her way to finding it, mistaking another bedroom for its door. She wasn't truly paying attention to Miroku when he gave the tour being too caught up in her own thoughts of the nights events. Too caught up in her depression and sorrow.

Checking the cupboards for food and the fridge, she realized one thing: the man who own this house before them was insane. The only edible substance was ramen. The only thing to drink was processed water, which she imagined was used to cook the ramen in. With a despondent sight, Kagome searched for a pot, filled it with water and ramen and left it to stew on the stove. It was all there was to eat, and after all of that exercise and drama last night she was starving as strange as it sounded. She sat upon the same chair she had sat upon the night before, eyes watching the food come to a boil, stirring occasionally so that the food would not burn. Noodle type food had a nasty habit of scorching at the bottom.

"Kagome!" Souta's voice shouted.

"I'm in here Souta!" Kagome returned, wiping the stoic look from her face to replace it with a more cheery expression, or as cheery as she could muster up for her little brother.

"What's for breakfast." He asked as he entered, clamoring over to the bar stool, using what little upper arm strength his small body held to pull himself up into his seat. The chair was bit taller then him, the actual seat coming to his chin. Whomever owned this house had been very tall, Souta concluded. "Kagome?" He questioned after a small pause. She was trying to smile for him, he could tell. She was trying to pretend that she wasn't upset so that he would not be. Souta himself wasn't sure on what to feel at the moment. He was sad, he hurt all over, and he felt weak. As long as no one mentioned his parents, he would be alright, and might just make it through the day with out bursting into tears.

"Huh? Oh, we're having ramen." She tried to announce cheerily, but it was dampened a bit by the tired undertone. Souta feigned ignorance.

The dark haired kid pulled a face. "We're eating that for breakfast! What kind of breakfast it that?" He questioned disbelievingly. Who in their right mind would eat that for breakfast, it was a lunch and dinner meal! Didn't she know that? Hadn't their mother taught her anything about cooking and the right times for meals. At the thought of his mother he felt tears well up in his eyes, but he did not let them fall; determined to be just as strong as his sister.

"The kind that is found in this house." She replied.

Souta nodded and they fell into silence. Once their food was done, Kagome scooped him a bowl first and then herself, taking a stool beside him. No words were past between them, and they had made a silent agreement with the other not to mention the night before. They would deal with it in their own times, in their own ways. If they needed help with their grieving they knew that the other would be there, shoulder ready and waiting.

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Silence. It reigned heavily in his office, but he minded it not. It was rather nice, a small bliss compared to the outside world. Not that he ever saw the outside world much considering he sat behind this desk all day ordering his men around, dealing injuries to those that did not fallow his order correctly. Fools. That is what they were and that is what he was surrounded by.

Right now, though, he wished for his silence to be broken by something. Six hours. That is how much time had gone by since his last interruption. He was finding himself swimming in boredom, while he watched the clock tick life away. Well, a humans life away. He would find himself living through the centuries. He was only a twenty-four year old man with his amber eyes and silver hair. A family trait amongst those in his line, the inu youkai. A factor that he was proud of, a bit too proud. He, if it were the feudal era, would have been lord of the western land for both humans and demons. In this world of his, humans, well most of the species anyway, were ignorant to his kinds existents right along with them. It was all rather amusing.

The doors slamming open with a loud bang drew him from his thoughts, eyes raising up in anger to see who would dare enter his office in such a way only to find his face freezing in motion along with the rest of his body. Words of anger died upon his lips, falling out as sight of breath. When he had wanted someone to interrupted his silence, he did not mean for it to be her, especially not in the state that she seemed to be in. She was scarier then the seven hells combined this way.

Hands on her hips, dark brown hair pulled back to the side of her head in a youthful way, Rin marched forward intent upon murdering his near cowering form. He may not look it, but it was close to cowering as Sesshoumaru could ever be. Her eyes watched as he leaned back in his chair, away from her, eyes watching her as if she may strike at any second for the killing blow. She was not here to lift a hand against him. She knew that if she were to attempt it he would do nothing to block her movement and go only as far as to avoid her attacks with half attempts at defense. She knew that he would not hurt her, and she used this knowledge to her advantage.

"Rin." He whispered fearfully, at lest to her ears. Another pair of ears would say his voice sounded dispassionate, monotone. What had he done this time around? He did not remember any such actions made by him that would have caused this reaction from her at a latter time. He always tried to avoid that.

"How dare you!" She raged, hands clenched at her sides. "You promised me you wouldn't lay a hand on your brother again, and what do you do the first moment he annoys you?" She screeched in askance. "You injure him!"

Sesshoumaru sat dumfounded for a moment, before he realized what was going on. _The spoiled brat!_ He thought vehemently. _How dare he…. _staring stonily at Rin, though he could not help the bit of softness that touched the edges. He had done as she asked, after placing Inuyasha in the hospital -an actual accident on his part and one that he held a few regrets for- he had promised Rin that he would not injure his half-brother again. She had threatened never to speak with him again, what was he suppose to do? "Rin." He said softly as she continued ranting. "I can assure you that I did not touch him."

"You arrogant, self-centered bas-huh?" Rin blinked a couple of times, rage forgotten. She knew he was telling the truth. She would have been able to tell immediately if she were being lied to, by either of the brothers… one of them was not being truthful with her. "What do you mean? Inuyasha would not have lied to me!" She stated firmly; assuredly.

"What!" Sesshoumaru yelped, his monotone voice taken on a hint of hurt that would have otherwise gone unnoticed to any other soul that was not Rin. "You think that I would lie to you? Do you not trust me to give you the truth? Rin?" He shrank back a tad more into his chair, damning Inuyasha and the attention and obvious trust this dark haired woman gave his brother and neglected to give him; her silent protector.

Rin took a step back, Sesshoumaru, to her, looked as if he had been slapped. "Sesshoumaru I-"

The doors slammed open once more, interrupting Rin. "Sesshoumaru, I need you… to…." he trailed, looking from a depressed Sesshoumaru to a saddened and hurt Rin. "What's going on?" Slowly anger took control of Rin, and as she rounded upon Inuyasha he slowly backed up.

"That is what I would like to know, Inuyasha." Her words were slow and deliberate, and the hanyou cringed. He did not know what he had done to make Rin so angry, but from the way she was advancing upon him, he knew that he would find out soon enough…

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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, I promise you a much longer one next time -k-

The poll is this:

Sesshoumaru/ Rin: 7

Sesshoumaru/ Kagura: 4

If you want your vote to count then you have to have it in by the fifth chapter, cause after that I'm going to decide with whomever has the most votes. So fare it looks as if it is going to be Rin.

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Review :

Demon Exterminator Barbie: Haven't quite decided on how I'm going to have them meet face to face yet, but Inuyasha did get to see her in this chapter, well kind of. I will change your vote for you, last time I think you said Kagura, at lest I think it was you. Anyways thank you for the review, and I hope to hear from you again this next chapter.

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Meq- I will be sure to add your vote, thank you for the review.

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Vixen12089- Grins Thank you for the complement blushes Yeah I know, I made a lot of mistakes in the last two chapters, but I went through and fixed them all… at least I think I got them :

Angle Fire- Thank you for the complement, I appreciate it, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I love to get complements. I will be sure to add your vote to the ever growing poll, thanks for the review!

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Jordan Lee- Thank you! And Thank you for the review, I shall be sure to add you vote!

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Okibi Usagi- Thank you for the complement, and here's your update! Yah! I will also add your vote, it looks as if Rin is going to win the polls so far, though, whelp there's one more chapter to go in order to find out!

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This chapter has been revised, if there are any mistakes that I may have over looked feel free to mention so in a review Zonza


	4. A New Start

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Four: A New Start

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With the dawn came shrine work, and with shrine work came touristing humans along with demons disguised as humans. Two bright eyed children with dark hair bolted off to school, dressed in their accustomed school uniforms, leaving their grandfather and mother to deal with the tourists. The elder man kept an eye on the conversing bodies as they entered the shrine to pray or pay respects. Some even asked about the gift shop, and history of the shrine he kept. Each time this occurred the elderly man was just grateful that Miroku had provided him along with his colleagues well in depth information on the family that had lived their before meeting their untimely ends. How it occurred was not his business, nor were the circumstances surrounding it. So he had not asked.

After sweeping the entire shrine grounds, an activity that really worked up an appetite, the elderly man went in search of his wife. She was actually playing his daughter in this not so strange little assignment. Of all the evils in the world! He bemoaned at the thought, how were he and his wife supposed to enjoy marital things with a set relation such as this! If it were just a matter of the police finding out he would not have been one of the few that were asked to take on this assignment. No, there was more to it then that. Someone was watching the compound, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. If he, his wife whom actually was supposed to be his daughter and his supposed grandchildren saw or heard anything suspicious they were suppose to report these actions to Miroku himself.

Though he thought it was a bit odd, he did not say anything to the order. Normally it was Sesshoumaru whom he was suppose to report to, but then maybe the boss was busy with another case or something. The kitsune shrugged and sighed when his wife scurrying around the kitchen came into sight as he entered the room. Now he had to exclude excellent self-restraint and not grab the lovely woman in his embrace and kiss her senseless. He once again cursed his fate, and glared at the woman whom seemed to notice his presence and was obviously laughing at his discomfort. "Daughter," he stressed, "how about some grub to fill an old man's stomach?"

His wife laughed merrily, obviously liking her roll in this a bit too much. He eyed her strangely, but tossed it aside. The female fox that was his mate always had been a strange one. Still, it irked him like nothing else that she was not having the same difficulties as he with this newest assignment. "Of course father." She laughed again, and he had to force down that inhuman like growl that rose to his throat. "Why don't you take a quick nap while I prepare your lunch, I'll wake you when it is finished." She offered.

He wanted to refuse, he wanted to yell and argue that he was not so weak that a little work around this small shrine would tire him out, but alas he could not refuse such an offer. To do so would be against his roll. The grandfather of this family would have readily taken up the offer and would have long sense gone scurrying up those steps to his bedroom to snooze away. With a huff he responded dryly. "Of course daughter, that sounds like a wonderful idea." He turned from her and headed up the stairway with a few grumbled curses and moans on how life was never fair.

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**_T_**he doors slammed open once more, interrupting Rin in her words to sooth the hurt she had caused her dear friend. "Sesshoumaru, I need you… to…." he trailed, looking from a depressed Sesshoumaru to a saddened and hurt Rin. "What's going on?" Slowly anger took control of Rin, and as she rounded upon Inuyasha he slowly backed up.

"That is what I would like to know, Inuyasha." Her words were slow and deliberate, and the hanyou cringed. He did not know what he had done to make Rin so angry, but from the way she was advancing upon him, he knew that he would find out soon enough…

**I**nuyasha barely got a word out before Rin was upon him, her hands upon his shoulders shaking him madly. Her fingers dug into his skin, and though it was not painful, it was more then a little annoying; his sight spinning. The hanyou in the grasp of his friend tried to contemplate just exactly what it was he had done, only to have the answers given to him. "Inuyasha!" His childhood friend cried in outrage. "How could you lie to me like this? You've never lied to me before but Sesshoumaru says-"

Pulling Rin back, he steadied himself from the assault he allowed the dark-haired bright-eyed girl to carry out on his person. Hands still upon her shoulders, Inuyasha shot his brother a death glare. "Just what have you been telling her!" He sneered. "I haven't lied to her about nothing, if anything you're the one whose lying you pompous bas-"

With a hard glare Sesshoumaru cut his words short. "Inuyasha." He growled out lowly and the hanyou froze for a moment trying to recall his words exactly. Had he finished his curse? He shook his head. No, he had not. He did not have to fear his brothers wrath for tainting Rin's mind with his ill used words. He snorted, it was Rin whom taught him his lovely array of words in the first place. The girl was like a sponge, absorbing every curse that passed her ears and added them to her every growing list stored within that head of hers to use for later. "I have said no such lies to her, Inuyasha." He said calmly. "I had spoken the truth when I had said I did not lay a hand upon you, while you claim I have done just that, little brother."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Inuyasha roughly questioned in his confusion; eyes going from the stoic form of his brother to petite childhood friend of his. "I've said nothing of the sort!" He cried to his brother, anger storming his amber orbs as he tried to calm himself.

Sesshoumaru calmly stood from his seat behind his expensive oak desk, giving his brother a heated glare that would have sent most to their graves from fright. "Are you calling Rin a lair, little brother?" His strides toward the whelp were slow, strenuous as if he were trying to control himself from leaping at the little half-demon and sticking his claws through him.

Standing his ground, Inuyasha snarled. "Of course not!" He did not flinch nor groan as his brother slammed him into the nearest wall, causing it to dent and crack in some places. From the predatory gleam in the inu-youkai's eyes as he stalked him, Inuyasha had been expecting the move and thus prepared himself for it. "You scum! I didn't lie…. If any ones lying here it's probably you!" Though he new the likely hood of his brother lying to Rin about whatever it was he was trying to pin on him -he, for some idiotic reason, block out the problem that started this whole yelling match- was nonexistent. Miroku would have to prove himself not lecher before such a thing every passed the stoic youkai's lips.

Sesshoumaru's nails dug into his shoulders as his hands pressed him further into the wall, fangs barred in a snarl. "Why would I lie about that little brother? Why would I tell Rin before hand as yourself that I had done you bodily harm, so that she would burst into my office screaming for my head?" He growled. "If you believe that Inuyasha, then you are truly a fool."

"Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha! Stop this right now!" The sound of Rin's angered words stopped the descent of Sesshoumaru's claws through his brother flesh, while Inuyasha's fist paused at his brother's cheek. They turned to her with questioning eyes, and a bit of fear. While she could beat them to kingdom come, they could only sit back and enjoy the ride. Being that their little friend was naught more then a delicate human their physical banter would likely kill her and, if not, bring her to the steps of death's door. The fear left them and curiosity reigned strong as the scent of anger depleted only to be replaced with heavy embarrassment. "Heh, heh, eh…." Rin scratched the side of her head all the while trying to avoid making eye contact with either of them. "I think I should have called you back after the phone hung up on us…."

"Causing quite a stir I see." A low sultry voice commented from behind; Rin did not turn to see whom it was. She did not need to, the tone that met her ears was enough to clue her in. "Though, when are you not?" She comment condescendingly. Rin smiled despite the biting remark made towards her, it would shock those she work for when she would explain the other woman had once been her friend; one of her best friends. Rin did not quite understand it herself… but their falling out was a bit of an misunderstanding.

Rin knew that she had feelings for Sesshoumaru and wouldn't dream of stealing the man from behind her back, and yet for some reason the woman believed that she had slept with the inu taiyoukai. It was a rumor that got started around the office, which was odd. Most rumors of the like were about her and Inuyasha. She did not harbor those types of feelings for her friends brother… did she? Rin shook her head, nope… as far as she knew she did not. Rin sighed, one day she would win back her friend.

Sesshoumaru slowly took his hands from his brothers person, straightening himself and smoothing down his work suite. "What do I owe the pleasure Kagura?" He inquired calmly, amber eyes pinning her with question as to her visit.

Her eyes slide to the occupants of the room besides Sesshoumaru, before returning to the object of her visit. "It would be best to discuss this in private." Her face and tone gave away nothing into her internal thoughts, she was every bit as stoic as the inu-youkai her eyes were trained upon. "This, what I have brought, is for your eyes only… my words, your ears only." With a slight bow, she added. "My lord."

Sesshoumaru waved the title off. "You know that it is not necessary for you to call me such, Kagura." No matter how much he insisted that she just call him by his name with out any added suffixes or titles, the wind sorceress always managed to slip. Being how she was brought up and his own position in the youkai underworld, it was years the fault of drilled in rules of etiquette that prevented her from doing so completely. They were friends, had been friends since he save her from the wolf youkai that nearly killed her when they were ten. Since then Kagura was always at his side, like Rin. They were the only two women that he would allow past his barriers to see his true self. That he trusted enough to allow such a privilege. "Inuyasha, Rin, I believe that our disagreement has been solved… if you both will excuse us…"

It was not a question, but a demand stated with the politeness the younger of the two brother's could never find himself mustering enough of. Inuyasha glared already miffed enough at being kept in the dark and left out of his partner's endeavors.

"What the hell is so important that, I, your brother and second can't be present to hear?" He inquired bitterly, he really needed to work off the anger his last meeting with Miroku left with him; it was beginning to effect his judgment. He knew it was stupid and yet he opened his mouth and went for the kill anyways; the insult. "What, you and the wind witch here getting it on behind the scenes, cause in that case…." He trailed shuddering. He cringed at the disapproving look Rin shot him, but almost bolted behind Rin at the death glare his brother pinned him with. If he had to pick one or the other to deal with, he would go with the one less likely to kill him in the end. Instead he decided to stand strong and act as if though his brother's heated looks did nothing but tickle. He smirked.

If he had thought his half-brother's glare was frightening, then the smile that adorned his face chilled his blood to ice. "Inuyasha." The elder youkai brother spoke softly. "I would suggest you leave this office now before I forget all etiquette and kill you now in front of the two women present, little brother." Deadly soft, and resembling steel being bared the words made Inuyasha shiver like cold metal being drawn across the skin. The hanyou straightened, the smirk falling from his face in favor of more somber look. He had over stepped the line this time, going much too far with his brother. It would not be wise to question and make demands or insults right at the moment. With a nod of acknowledgement, Inuyasha grabbed Rin's arm and dragged her with him from the office taking care to slam the doors on his way out. "What is it Kagura?"

The wind sorceress smiled faintly, but it was gone before the inu-youkai before her would catch it. She had always loved the way he said her name. She shoved all such thoughts from her mind, it was time for business; time to talk shop. "I have gotten my place in the CIA as you have ordered… I have become very well trusted among their ranks." She informed, her lips twitching upward sardonically. "So well in fact that I was able to receive these documents. They are not much, but maybe you could find something there that I had not." She held out the documents for his clawed hands to take. He did so and she shivered slightly as his hand brushed her own. She hid her reaction to the innocent touch well.

"Kagura how did these documents come in to your hands?" He catechized coolly, trying to pushed down his anger until her answer was received. "Do tell me it was not by means of hacking or any other such trickery." Though his voice was a monotone he could not help the trace of hope that seemed to lace each word.

Kagura clenched her fists, red eyes blazing like the most fierce of fires. "Do you honestly think that I would breech the agreement that we've sworn upon, Sesshoumaru? That I would risk the only assignment that I've gotten out of you?" She growled, before softening. "I know that you worry for me, but it's not necessary. I am stronger then I was all those years ago and I can take care of myself now." She said firmly.

Sesshoumaru sighed heavily, shaking his head as he moved to seat himself at his desk and look ever the papers he had received. "Between the trouble you and Rin get yourselves into, Kagura, I find myself thinking that I may not make it into youkai adulthood." He pulled he paper from the manila envelope, his amber orbs reading down the printed words at an inhumanly fast rate. His eyes traveled to the form of Kagura. "This is a confidential document on the disappearance of agent Higurashi Hakujou and it comments on some of true reasons for this disappearance." He commented solemnly, hard eyes pinning her down with accusation. "I ask again Kagura, how did you come across these?"

She shrugged her shoulders commenting nonchalantly. "Like I said they've come to trust me now." At his raised brow she went with a deeper explanation. "I was given a key to the room they keep all of their past cases in so that if I needed anything I could find it there. They never said anything against taking this file and so…"

Sesshoumaru eyed her warily. "Kagura you-"

"I didn't alright!" She growled. "Do you think that I would give you a reason to pull me from this assignment when I've finally convinced you to allow me to do something other then sit behind a desk and act as secretary to you and the others like you force Rin?"

The inu youkai snorted at that. "Like I had a choice in the matter with you black-mailing me over that god-forsaken photo you're mother had taken of us a couple decades ago." The picture that he spoke of was not very flattering to his-self image. The photo portrayed himself as a nice and warm caring boy and not the cold hearted jerk that he strived to be in the eyes of the masses. Only Kagura, and of course Rin, could get away with such acts of defiance without his heavy punishment. "If you are to be caught they will not only kill you in the end, but will also torture you for information about our society." He, in reality, was not worried about something of the like ever happening. He had other men from the group keeping a close eye on her, reporting her every move in that building to him by phone. Along with having her follow a few sets of rules that would prevent the wind youkai from doing anything to truly put herself in danger, or at lest any such things that he would have to worry about her ability to get herself out of.

Kagura could not keep the disappointment from her eyes, nor could she prevent it from coloring her words. "Oh," she sighed heavily, "you only worry that I will tell of your secrets my lord. You shouldn't, I would not say a thing, even if it meant my death, besides I would not allow myself to fall into such a position as that."

If those words were meant to comfort him, then it was more than obvious that she did not know a thing about comfort. If anything her assurances made him want to lock her in her apartment with a few youkai men guarding her every exit. The only reason she was not behind a desk right now was due to her black-mail, and her words were making him debate with his mind if it were really worth it all; letting her have her way at the sake of his own image. "I worry for you Kagura, if I did not you would have been cast aside like useless commodity, only brought to surface when I had a use for you." He replied to the hurt he could sense radiating from her body like a tangible substance. "Make no mistake, the only reason you have wheedled your way into this life was through black-mail, and if you ever attempt it again I shall have you confined to one of the quarters in the mansion of Izumo; no visitors allowed."

Kagura shot him a heated look. "I'm not a child." She remarked dryly.

"Your words claim that you are not and yet all you are doing is showing me how childish you are with your actions." Sesshoumaru shot back, frustration eating away at his chest. All he wanted to do was keep her safe! Was it so wrong? Did she really need to go through all of this just to undermine that wish? With a sigh he shrugged the questions off. "Go see Jaken, my servant will give you the information of the man I want you close to. You will report to me his very movement." Not that he was really interested in the movements of the man he was having her follow. According to the research of his actual spies the man was pretty harmless.

With a slight inclination of her head, Kagura murmured a quick "yes my lord" more for his discomfort then towards any rules of etiquette that were drilled into her head at a young age; a small revenge for ill words without being to obvious.

**T**he apartment was awash in whirl of sounds, each one droning on with the other so that those who occupied that house could hardly tell what sound was the result of what object. The sounds gave way to no unwanted thoughts. The noise level making it difficult for the mind's thought process to function properly. That was the point of it all, they did not want to think. For thoughts would only lead to memories of the other night, not only that but as well as lead to despondent musings that would cloud ones mind into fierce depression.

The noises stopped.

Kagome looked up from her sprawled position upon the couch; Souta having long fallen into the bliss of sleep noticed not a thing. She sat up more fully trying to ride her face of the frown that seemed to have etched itself far to deeply, to replace it with a welcoming smile for her brother. She could not manage it.

He was wearing a frown of his own, violet eyes without their usual farcical appearance. He looked subdued, solemn. Legs dressed in the same dark jeans that he wore that night carried him to the couch's edge, and seated himself beside her. She also noticed that he seemed to be wearing the same shirt as before minus the trench coat. It was probably hanging upon some coat rake she had missed, or perhaps a hall closet somewhere in the apartment. She really didn't care, thoughts of this nature helped to keep the others at bay.

There was silence between them for a strenuous amount of time before Miroku broke it, his tone soft; hiding the emotions that caused turmoil in his heart and soul with a startling efficiency. "I've gotten the papers filled through, they're untraceable." He added almost as an after thought, one that did not matter. His sister would not understand, at least he did not think so, for such a need. "You and Souta are officially known as Sagawa Kagome and Sagawa Souta born in Asakusa General, ages ten and eighteen, orphaned for five years." He eyes did not look at her for that part. "You were held at Hotoshi's Orphanage until you came of age, taking Souta with you and moving here. That's the story." He informed, making her cognizant of her temporary life's story should the need for it arise.

She said nothing in reply to his words, her eyes staring sightlessly upon her youngest brother's sleeping form. How would he take it when he awoke and she were to tell him that the life they had with their mother and father did not exist anymore? That their life at the shrine was not real to the eyes of the world any longer? She had not a clue as to how she felt, save for the emptiness that seemed to choke her entire being. It was a very disconnecting feeling. That was it, she felt disconnected from it all; as of she were watching herself from afar going through the motions of life.

It was strange in a way, just the other day her mother sat around the table drinking tea while she complained about the dramas of high school life. Her brother sitting just outside the kitchen enduring for what would be the fifth time that afternoon the same legend narrated by their grandfather's lips. Now she found herself in unfamiliar territory short a few loved ones with her eldest brother as he fed her a fabrication that is to become her new existence. It was now that she realized high school problems were completely trivial, as she was sure her brother felt their grandfather's words -telling of legends that most have forgotten during the ages- to be less a bother, recalling those words for comfort during hard times.

After a few minutes of complete and utter silence, no sounds spoken between them, Miroku took the plunge assuming that she was still taking time to digest the information he had just supplied her with. "Hiroshima High is a very prestigious school known for its top graduating classes." Her brother tossed out casually, giving her sidelong looks. "The majority of its students are accepted into reputable colleges going on to be very successful in life. You've been enrolled and thanks to a friend that works there you should be able to start tomorrow, I don't want you attending your other school on the account that they may know were you've been receiving your education."

Kagome sat up straight at that, and looked him in horror. "You mean we've gotta switch schools! Do you have any idea how…." _how long it took me to make what little friends I do have? _Her words trailed off to thought. It was not easy to make friends when people thought you were strange and mentally ill; that you were a lose cannon. People are afraid when one stands up against someone that should be, by all rights, a few times stronger and wins. You would think that it would gain you respect of classmates, yet instead it made peers give you a wide range of space to walk. She shook her head, a slight smile appearing upon her lips. "You know what, never mind. It might good, going to this school if it is as good as you say." No one would know her there either, or her reputation. It was stupid, she only did what she had to in order to protect her little brother from the bullies of the world. "What about Souta?"

Miroku smiled now that his ratiocination had been accepted. Experience with his sister told him that he may have a fight on his hands seeing as how stubborn she could be at times, and it would not have done well at all if the fight were to lean in toward the more physical side. Though they never intentionally try to injure the other, bruises upon the flesh were hard to avoid sometimes, no matter how much strength was held back. "That's the best part, it will be the same school as yourself. It edifies students from grade one to twelve, though you are not likely to see one another due to the sheer sized of the place, but it would be easier for you to look out for him time to time."

She nodded her brown eyes straying towards Souta as he lay asleep blissfully unaware of the conversation carrying out before him. "Good, he always seems to find himself in some kind of trouble." She remarked earning a hearty chuckle from her older brother. Brown pools opened wide, the look marring her facial features attesting to her shock. "What are you laughing for?"

"Nothing, just remembering back to your elementary days." He commented nonchalantly, though his eyes belittled this with their amusement. "The times you would find yourself trouble, waiting for days before you finally tell me about it. Actually most of the time I would come upon the scene finding you trying to defend yourself against the bullies… you were always so self-dependent. You never did like asking for help." He mused. "Actually I believe that it was the one time I found you trying to stop that one boy from beating your face into the ground that I began to train you and then you ended up taking classes with me once father saw how much you enjoyed the fight, how well you were able to hold your own." A soft smile touched his lips as his mind lost itself to past reminiscing.

Kagome nodded, her eyes softening a bit as her own thoughts traveled back into the past. Only her thoughts were on the very first time she caught Souta trying to defend himself. "Souta is almost the same way, huh? The only difference being that while he enjoys training and our sparing matches, he refuses to fight anyone who does not truly know the art." Her voice then took on a touch of frustration. "It's so aggravating watching him come with bruises because he doesn't believe in excessive force unless it necessary. He's too gentle."

Miroku chuckled lightly. "You were the same way for a long while, and then I taught you how to unarm your opponent with mere flick of your wrist and then to further paralyze them with a few swift movements that one does not have an understanding of what is happening until they are upon the ground looking up." The trick was completely harmless, by merely brushing a few major points of the human autonomy you could render your opponent useless for a limited amount of time. Their body would seize up allowing them a rough fall to the ground, only the movement of the legs and arms were restricted, it did not impair speech nor did it harm the lungs; the opponent would still be able to breath properly. "It was not until I showed you that trick that you ceased coming home with colorful bruises decorating your form."

She sighed heavily, leaning forward and resting her head in her hands and elbows upon her knees. She did nothing to move the hair that obstructed the view of her face from her brother. "How long will we have to live this false life?" She inquired cheerlessly, all signs of her earlier energy having been sucked away.

All good humor left Miroku like quicksilver, staining his good mood near black. "Until I find out just why those men were there, what they were looking for, if they were looking for anything at all." _I need to find out if Okasan and Jiichan, died for the same reasons as our father, imotou. _He thought determinedly. "It shouldn't be too much longer." At least he hopped that it wasn't, for the sooner he solved this the sooner she could be out of the reaches of his society. For even if she was unaware, she and Souta were both involved on the account they both may have heard something vital to their cause. It was the only way he could acquire a safe house for them to stay at; by giving up that information.

Kagome stood up from her place upon the couch, straightening out her pants and shirt. "You want something to eat?" She inquired.

Miroku smiled. "I know for a fact that the kitchen of this place houses nothing that the certifiably sane would consider food." He replied good naturally.

Trying to hide her smile as she stared him down with what was suppose to be a deadpan look, she grouched. "What are you talking about! You knew, yet you allowed Souta and I to eat that poison! Why Iota…" She trailed shaking her fist.

Miroku's smile grew wider as he continued to play along with his sister. It was good to be able to relax like this, he hadn't been able too for so long. "Fear not my lady, I have a man shopping for the edible food right as we speak." He crowed dramatically and then elaborately flourished his arm around while bowing to her in his seat. "I am sorry though Kagome, I had forgotten that Inuyasha doesn't realize the rest of the world does not share his obsession for ramen, to claim dislike for his favorite meal is consider blasphemy in his book."

Kagome took in the appearance of her brothers face as he spoke these soft words to her, their was a fondness for this Inuyasha clouding his violet blue eyes. "Who is this Inuyasha? Is he a friend of yours, will I be meeting him soon?" She inquired all in one breath.

Miroku looked up into her innocent browns in horror. How could he have let that name slip? He did not want either of them knowing a single name or fact of anyone in his society. How could his tongue move about freely when it was sober? He knew what it was, it was the comforting and safe aura that surrounded his imotou. It had levered him into a safe sense of security causing him to forget his troubles long enough to lose information that was harmful for her to know. He spoke firmly. "No."

The dark haired young girl was perturbed and more than a little confused by the answer her brother gave her. What did he mean? Just who was this Inuyasha? Voice laden with aggravation she catechized. "No, what?" She made sure that her irritation was visible in her stature, but if she had known how childish the action looked to her brother she would have forewent that course of action. She looked as if though she were pouting.

Sitting up straighter, he made sure to look her directly in the eyes and it was then that she noticed the emotions that were swirling around in their depths. She was barely able to contain her gasp. They were determined and resolute, but what made her gasp was the lack in humor coating them; they were hard. It was then she realized any arguments for his upcoming words would not be welcomed. She would not be able to handle her brother's angry shouts with that look in his eyes. "No you will not be meeting him, no you will hear nothing of him and you will forget ever hearing his name." His tone was harsh; stern. It reminded her of their father's when he would discipline them. Higurashi Hakujou was a very gentle man and a very loving father, but when he was displeased with the actions of his children all he would need to use was that tone and they would forgo what ever action brought that sound from him. "It is imperative that you know nothing of those that I work for or what I am doing in my work, unless I say otherwise. Is that understood."

Swallowing hard, Kagome nodded slowly. "I understand."

**B**lack jean clad legs and booted feet paced around Shikaku Sesshoumaru's secretary's office, mumbling fowl obscenities underneath his breath while the said secretary took note of every single curse for later use. Fists were clenched and his leather bound feet stomped the floor heavily, he wasn't even truly angry at his brother for kicking him out of his own office so that he may have a private conversation with the wind witch. No. He was beyond enraged at his supposed partner and friend of seven years for shutting him out when it was obvious he was dealing with something a hell of a lot bigger then himself. He was going to get himself killed if he continued on like this, the hanyou was sure of it.

He didn't understand why Miroku was so insistent upon handling this problem all on his own. It was obvious to anyone with all the stress the supposed monk was under so suddenly that whatever was hanging on his shoulders was too much for him to continue carrying. Eventually he was going to fall under it all, if whatever he was involved in didn't kill him first. "What in all seven hells is he thinking!" He shouted, before rounding upon Rin, pinning her with a glare. "Don't you dare say that in front of Sess either, that's the last thing I need, an enraged inu youkai coming for my blood because I tainted his precious Rin."

Rin pouted cutely, eyes rounding like that of a puppy's as she tilted her head to the side slightly. "Why not? I've always wanted to see what his reaction would be if I were to say… slip." Now she was ginning widely, mischievously, her eyes alight with the emotion.

"Feh, I don't have to tell you, you already know. He would leap for my throat and rip it out, it's how a dog demon would react to another when they taint or threaten their pup." So he was exaggerating a bit, if driving by instinct he would grab at his throat with his teeth doing not an inch of damage as a warning not to repeat the action. Not acting on instincts and Inuyasha would find himself in the societies infirmary bed ridden for a couple of days. He grinned widely, his expression turning smug. "Though if you were to do that then I would have to let it slip who was responsible for the first curses I ever spoke."

Rin's eyes widened, scandalized as she gasped. "You wouldn't!"

Inuyasha crossed his arms, acquiring his natural arrogant stance replying cockily. "I would, and you know it to."

Eying him suspiciously, the short brown haired girl questioned. "So what do you want?" She leaned forward a bit to hear what it would be this time around.

Brows reaching his hair line, he took a step back in surprise. "What are you talking about?" He replied off kilter. How in the world had she known? He didn't give any indication, had he? Smoothing over his features so that she would not catch his ruffled fathers, he waited for her own answer to his question.

Seeing his off balance expression, Rin took the plunge. He may have gotten her the first couple of times they've played this game, but she would win this time. "Every time our conversation heads down this road you always ask me for a favor. I just want to know what it will be this time around." She gave him a pointed look. "It would be a lot easier if you'd just come out and say it, ya know."

Grumbling incoherently under his breath, Inuyasha crossed his arms, amber orbs looking anywhere but her face. "Fine." He sighed out in frustration. "I want you to hack into Sesshoumaru's computer and look around for some files for me."

Standing from the chair she had been sitting in as she watched him stew, Rin walked toward her desk and seated herself before her computer. A computer that also linked with Sesshoumaru's own. "Why are you asking me to do this? Why not ask Sesshoumaru?" She quizzed, running her fingers along her key board, not hard enough to actually push a button, but enough to make them move slightly.

"Keh, Miroku's shutting me out and I just know he's getting himself into trouble." Inuyasha grouched, moving to take a seat in a chair that sat before her desk leaning back so that he wasn't sitting straight but comfortably. "I don't want Sesshoumaru to know cause he'll just side with Miroku and tell me it none of my business if the idiot monk wants to die." He snorted. "I don't know why I bother, no one ever appreciates it."

"I appreciate when you do things for me Inuyasha." She mumbled as her nimble fingers typed in her own access code, the one that enable her to link on to Sesshoumaru own. She paused a moment to spare her childhood friend a glance. "If I do this for you and Sesshy does happen to find out about it… what are you going to do?"

"Eh?" He shrugged. "I'll just stay at the one place I got in Kyoto, Sess doesn't even know it exits, and wait for his rage to blow over." He replied nonchalantly. "So you gonna do it?"

"Yeah, since this time you want it for a good reason." She shot him a glare over the monitor. "Last time I did something like this I forgot to ask why, and it turns out you wanted the information to blackmail fluffy with."

Inuyasha grinned. "Yeah I remember that… I had to stay at the infirmary a week, but then I got Sess pretty good too." He then frowned. "Though for some reason an idiot working down there placed us both in the same room… it got pretty ugly." He shuddered slightly. "We had a jello fight, crap is sticky when it finally dries…. Ah, and we had an argument over what to watch on TV, that one kept the residents up all night long." He looked up at Rin noticing her amused smile and returning it with one of his own. "I believe they throw a party after we left because I swear I heard Adema's, Unstable, playing and a bit of cheering as we left."

"Actually I think they did, I think I remember being invited to it." She shook her head. "So what is it that your looking for exactly?"

**A/N: **Here is where I'm gonna stop. Sorry that I took so long to update… I broke my hand and am only typing with one. I was going to wait until it healed, but it was taking to long…. Would written a bit more but my hand is sore now, I've been writing this since earlier today.

Oh! Guess what! I just turned 18! I'm so happy… all though it was a bit of a pain since I was one handed at the time but shrugs I still had fun.

Alright know for the polls:

Sess/ Rin- 8

Sess/ Kagura- 5

Now that you all have seen him with Kagura and with Rin, you might be able to better make your vote. Just remember that every thing is set by the next chapter so this is the last chance you will get to vote , -k- so make sure you get yours in.

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**Thank you every whom has reviewed, I appreciate it all very much! It always makes me warm and fuzzy inside. It also makes me want to update faster too**

**This chapter has be revised, if there are any mistakes that I may have missed feel free to inform me through a review Zonza**


	5. Questions Never Ending

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Disclaimer: Don't own 'em!

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Five: Questions Never Ending

**_W_**atching the clock tick time away, Inuyasha lay sprawled about the couch located in the office of Rin's as the boredom that gripped him so fully tried to consume him whole. His body completely antsy continued to twitch every so often forcing the hanyou to resort to shaking his leg discretely. Last time Rin saw him doing something so dog like it took her nearly hours to quite her loud incessant laughter. He would not go through it again. Throwing his arm to cover his eyes, he groaned out his displeasure to the other occupant of the room; hopping the noise annoyed her just as much as the wait was doing to himself. "Rin!" He whined. "How much longer is this going to take!"

"Quite you!" She chastised without once lifting her eyes from the screen as they read downwards. "No complaining or I'll quite right now and you can find some other way to get this information." Rin really couldn't blame the hanyou for his constant complaints for the last hour and half, they had been sitting in nearly one spot for three hours with no such luck in their search. About an hour ago she had thought she had found something, but as it turns out it was only an assignment the both of them had completed years ago. Their first, if she went with Inuyasha's word.

"Alright, alright, I wont say another word." He rolled onto his stomach in hopes the movement would help ease the jittery feeling with in his arms and legs. He would need for a good run after all of this staying in one place. "Just hurry it up."

Sighing her exasperation, Rin voiced the question that had been on her mind throughout her entire search. "Why is it you need Miroku's background information? How is that supposed to help… Oh!" She cut off with a gasp.

Inuyasha jumped to his feet while unnecessarily using his demonic speed to transport himself behind the brown haired girl in a matter of two seconds. "What is it? What did you find?" He questioned anxiously as his golden orbs scanned down the computer screen, reading the words as they went making it unneeded for Rin to explain herself. It was Higurashi Miroku's background files, only there was something wrong with it.

The only information that it had for his eyes to see were the normal stuff, things that he already knew about his partner and friend. It was lacking in pieces as well. It was not complete. Other then the name of his father, there was no mention of any other family members. He knew that there was a mother, Inuyasha could distinctly remember the monk speaking of it before, along with the possible mention of siblings. This read of knowledge that any child in front of a computer could get a hold of. He did not understand how Miroku had accomplished this, knowing his brother the way he did there wasn't a snow ball's chance in hell he would only settle with this third-rate intelligence. For one of his brother's main arguments when he wanted to storm the enemy at first strike is that 'knowledge is power.' If he had to hear that one more time….

"I don't understand…" Rin mumbled. "How can this be it?" Her brow was furrowed in a quizzical expression as she gave voice to his own thoughts, and then proceeded to allow her body to fall listlessly back into her chair sight never straying from the computer screen.

"I have know idea." Inuyasha growled in reply. This whole entire situation was trying on the hanyou's nerves and sucking his patients dry. How many twists and turns would present themselves in his path to finding the truth of the situation? Why couldn't the pervert just come clean with him so that he needn't have to be put through all of this trouble to discover that which is hidden from him? He sighed heavily as he ran a clawed hand through his silver mane. "Damnit!" He shouted in vain as it did nothing to lessen the building aggravation within his chest.

"Do you want me to search some more? I might be able to find something else." Rin offered, ignoring his outburst.

Hurried steps brought him to her office's exit; he paused. "Don't bother." He answered shortly. "I'll be at the southern piers if you need me, but say nothing of this to that good for nothing monk. Tch, that's all I need, him figuring out what I'm doing and hindering my search even more then he's already done. Damn stupid pervert." He cursed under his breath as his hand closed around the door handle, but he was unable to open due to the fact that Rin's own hand was pushing flat against the door. Not that he couldn't force it if need be, but he did not want to injure the girl in anyway.

Rin peered in his amber eyes with her own light brown soulful ones, squeezing at his heartstrings with the worry he found clouding their depths. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" She whispered. "I know that you've been their before, but Miroku was always there to watch your back and all times that you've returned you were always so injured…." Her voice trailed off, eyes adverting from his own to the floor as she awaited his response.

"What are you worrying about me for? I can take care of myself, and I certainly don't need the monk's help to do it either." Her grouched, appalled at the mere thought. Like he would every rely his life in the hands of another! No, fools did that. The only person one could rely on is oneself.

"Baka!" She yelled, smacking him upside the head. "What do you mean, why am I worrying for you! Stupid! You're my best friend! Of course I'm gonna worry." She crossed her arms just below her chest, huffing as she turned her eyes from him.

Inuyasha's expression softened for a second before returning to his regular arrogance. "Keh, I'll be just fine, you worry to much." Since there was no longer a small hand barring him from exiting the small room, Inuyasha tossed open the door and ran down the halls; he called over his shoulder. "Remember, don't say a word to Miroku!"

"You better be careful Inuyasha or I'll never forgive you!" Were the last words he heard as he turned a corner, making way for the stair case that led to the door the stood as the exit to outside the warehouse.

****

The three Higurashi children sat comfortable upon the couch, Kagome and Souta snuggled together at the end of love seat, while Miroku sat to the side of them. The youngest sibling woke not to long ago, and already having long since been told of their plans now sat and enjoyed the reminiscing of the past adding his own input every once and awhile. It was just nice to sit back and see his sister smile after she had been discretely crying the entire morning after having made him a ramen breakfast. It was nice being with his older brother once more after so long without his presence. The only missing ingredients to this nice family gathering were their parents and Jii-chan… he did not want to think about it and thus decided to speak up in the conversation to distract his thoughts from their absence.

"I remember that." He whispered fondly. "I was so upset, I thought that I was going to be in so much trouble for breaking the window that I nearly left the shrine to hide-out at the park." He confided an admission that he would voice to no other ears besides those present. "I was terrified that I would have to see Mom's and dad's disappointed faces as they scolded me for it. They always warned me what would happen and I just didn't listen." He grinned up at them, his eyes sparkling with the emotion he felt for his little family, he looked down at his hands clasped in his lap "Then you and Kagome told them that it was your fault, that you two were playing base ball and that you," he said glancing at Miroku, "missed catching the ball when Kagome tossed it to you…." He trailed, thinking back on that day.

Kagome moved her one arm that rested at his side and wrapped him in a one armed embrace. "Well we couldn't just let our favorite brother get in trouble, now could we? Beside they were threatening with placing you in military school!" Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the thought. "Like we could ever let you go there!"

Miroku nodded sagely, his now unbound hair swaying slightly with the movement. After a hard game of tickle torture the tie had fallen out, loosening his hairs from their bound state. It was in his attempt to make Kagome smile that roused the youngest and somehow led to this trip through memory lane. "Exactly, how else are we to protect you if you are not where we could see you at all times?" He queried with a raised brow.

Souta wrinkled his brow and stuck out his tongue. "I don't need protection, I can do that just fine myself!" He protested indignantly, crossing his arms and then huffing like a two year-old when all his words brought him was laughter. It would seem these new actions only spurred their initial reaction further. He sighed. "Come on guys this isn't funny, I can too take care of myself!"

"Sure Souta." Kagome agreed, trying to keep the chuckles at bay. "That's why you always let the bullies beat you into a pulp."

"Hey!" He shouted. "I just don't like to hurt people is all, even if they started it."

Violet eyes widened as his eyes fell upon the old grandfather clock set up in the living room, a gasp falling from his lips as laughter died and gave way to horror. "I'm late!" He yelped, jumping from the couch and nearly tripping over his feet with the action. Time flew when one was having fun. It was already six in the evening, and the sun was beginning to set. He did not have much time to make it to where he needed to meet up with his partner for their daily check of the shipments. "I've gotta go Kagome, I'll be back later tonight!" He shouted over his shoulder as he used hurried steps to take him down the hall, collect his trench coat and don it as he quickly made his exit.

Both siblings watched him depart with frowns upon their faces for a good measured amount of time, the silence that descended upon them drove their minds into a melancholy state. As they sat there, eyes upon the spot their brother had vacated, thoughts of a forbidden nature permeated through their minds forcing them to think back upon that day. How long would this last? Would they always need another being with them so that they would not have to fall into depression and tears?

Kagome sat up, though not leaving, from her position upon the loveseat near Souta; she now sat up relatively straight, arms resting upon her knees and head in her hands. Her stomach ached with the pangs of hunger, her eyes slid to her younger brother. He was now curled up on the other side of the couch, face buried in the crock of his arm. He was more then likely trying to stop the torrent of emotion that swept through his little body, trying to stop the tears before they came, before she saw them.

Her heart lurched as her own watery eyes took in the sight before her, she wasn't entirely sure on how to help Souta with his grief. Her mother would've known what to do, she was the one that help them all through her father's disappearance. Is that why this hurts more? She still held hopes that her father wasn't truly dead, while there was no question about her mother and grandfather's demises. She was there, she had barren witness to it all. She had seen there blood, their lifeless bodies sprawled carelessly upon the floor as there eyes stare listlessly to nowhere.

A sob built its way to her throat, but she clenched to the need to release the sound, not wanting her brother to hear. Not wanting him to know that she was upset as well. Taking in a deep breath, Kagome reached over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and bringing him forward so that his head rested upon her heart. It was how their mother always held them when they were upset to calm them, she only hoped that it worked with Souta. She forced her eyes to stay open even as the air stung at them, threatening to dry them to the core; she only blink when it was absolutely necessary. For some reason or another when ever her eyes were shut, even if just for a second, she saw a flash of the nights events before her minds eye. Only they did not truly fallow with the facts, and tented to stray from the truth to a more horrid fiction of the true situation and it events.

Maybe she should fix them both a meal, their mother would already have something of a nutritional value cooking on the stove or, perhaps, the oven by now. All Kagome had to prepare was ramen. It wasn't a meal like their mother would put before them, but it was all she had to work with. Despite the hunger pains in her stomach, her insides churned at the thought of food.

Pulling back a bit so that she could see her brother's face, she inquired. "Are you hungry Souta?" He shook his head against her chest, before pulling back to stare into her eyes; searching.

Nodding to himself slightly, as if finding what it was he searched for, he said. "I'm going to go in my room and play the playstation, the volume will be up real high… so if you can hear it and if it brothers you say something." With that he pulled himself from her arms, heavy footfalls carrying him away from her and down the hall. She could still hear his steps long after he had disappeared from sight. They would have to work on that. She thought absently.

Her eyes watered more at the thoughts running through her head. He had known that she was going to cry, she knew that he could see the sadness in her eyes like a palpable thing that he could reach out and touch. She felt shame at that fact. He wasn't suppose to know that she was upset, he was suppose to remain blissfully unaware. Instead her little brother was helping her to outlet that sadness through her tears, while he stayed in his room out of sight while playing his games so that he would not hear her sobs.

Now it would be like an unspoken agreement. She would cry alone and he would pretend to be blind to her sadness, while reveling in the comfort she would offer to him for his own tears and broken heart. With a watery smile Kagome stood upon her feet and hastily carried herself to her room, slamming the door behind her while she flung her body on a bed that was her and was not hers. It was strange to be in this room, it felt alien, but at the moment she did not care as freely let the moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes fall.

Down her cheeks the wetness went, soaking the pillow that her face was buried in while that pillow swallowed the scream and cries she let lose. It felt good, it felt exhilarating to do this. All the emotion she had felt, that she had been bottling up burst free in a torrent of strong sobs, shaking shoulders, and an endless amount of tears.

****

Snorting at the sliver of moon that hung in the dark cloudless star speckled sky, peering innocently down at him. It was anything but innocent. To the hanyou, it felt as if that blue hunk of rock was taunting him, teasing him that it would soon disappear and he would become vulnerable for a whole night. How he hated days like those, even if they only came once a month.

Hands dug into his pockets as he walked along the edge, one wrong step and it was quite possible he would topple over from striking air, landing himself into the ocean water. The small amount of light provided by the taunting moon allowed for one to see his reflection fallowing after him at the surface of the calm body of water. He himself would not have noticed such since his amber eyed stair strayed not from in front of him. The hanyou wanted to remain alert and not lose himself in the soothing effects of the rippling water. Not that he wasn't already lost within his own thoughts.

He would, no mater what, find the answers he sought; even if he had to threaten the lives of everyone locate at the northern warehouse. Everyone in their society knew of him, even if they had never laid eyes upon him, his reputation of ridding his presence of those that annoyed him spreading far and wide like a wild fire on a windy day. Granted this time around he wasn't likely to carry out his constant threat being that Sesshoumaru was already upset with him for something similar a while back, the patrons there did not have to know this fact.

Kicking a stone ahead of him, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed his scowl growing in intensity; anyone whom saw him would run, or at lest walk in a wide arch around him if they had no other choice but to travel the way he was coming from. Miroku was such an imbecile, couldn't the fool see that it was only causing trouble to keep this secret of his? Couldn't the monk see that he could trust him to help with this problem as well as guard it's existence from other's?

It was this knowledge that hurt most of all, he supposed. The truth that one of his best friends did not trust him enough to welcome him into his plans, into his life outside of the society. Though, he knew, whatever the monk had gotten himself involved in had to deal with 'Him,' whomever this was. No one really knew actually, only that he existed and had hurt and ruined many lives.

Amber orbs gleamed predatorily as he found himself standing in front of the door, a small panel meant for the eyes to see through slide open upon his incessant knocks. Now the fun would begin. "Tell that spider the dog wants to play." He said to the cold browns peering at him. Those eyes reminded him of his brother's, in the way that they were able to conceal emotions from being read within their depths.

They narrowed at his words, not that he expected anything less. "Find a bone to chew on dog, the spider has had enough of your abuse." The female voice spat out like a disgusting taste in her mouth. If they wanted information from Naraku, they had to agree with codenames to keep identities and sources of information secret. He personally felt that it was a bit childish, but if it got him what he wanted, he would play.

Inuyasha clicked his tongue a few times, golden irises sparkling his amusement with her answer. "Now, now is that anyway to speak to a good friend." He rose a brow, unable to keep the amusement from coloring his words thick. "Did he tell you to say this to me? With all of his big and mighty talk I would have thought he harbored no feelings of fear for me." His grin widened as he took up his trademarked arrogant stance. "Or is it you that fears me?"

"I hold no fears for the likes of you dog!" She spat. "You are not welcome here, now leave to the garbage pits of whence you came from." She slammed the eye piece shut with a resounding clank.

The grin fell from his lips as irritation welled up within his chest. He pounded on the door once more. "I have no time deal with your crap, miko witch, and unless you want me to level this place like the last to root out the spider, I suggest you grant me entry!" He shouted through the thick iron door.

A moment latter the door was flung open nearly whacking the side of his arm as he jumped out of the way, hitting the side wall with a echoing slam. His clawed hand reached out to catch the heavy door just as it was making it way to closing once more. His eyes roved up and down the girl-no woman- before him; the spider's mate. A short black leather skirt hugged at her hips over tight black leggings, boots with six inch heals adorning her feet; anchoring her to a taller height. A tight spaghetti strapped shirt that barely covered her mid-drift, over top of a red long sleeved nit shirt; hair left to tumble over her shoulders. Only the miko witch could look a slut and have everything covered. Inuyasha snorted his disgust over her attire.

She grinned at him, a wicked evil grin. "Don't you like it Inuyasha?" She purred. "The spider sure did, do you want to hear about the full extent of his appreciation? I don't think anyone has ever-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear about yours and his exploits!" He growled. "Just take me to the damn spider so I can get this over with."

Placing her hand upon her hips, she glared down at him. Another feat the miko witch seemed to have down pat, for even with the boots she was still shorter then him, if only by an inch. He couldn't see how she did it. "It would serve you right, you mutt! Talking to me the way that you did." She grumbled. "Shut your yapping and fallow me."

Inuyasha growled lowly under his breath, but otherwise made no comment. He never let his eyes stray to those around the bar, as well as held a tight leash upon his demon side and instincts. Being half they were a bit harder to control and with the stench of fear permeating the air once they recognized his features, his demon side wanted to come out and play with the prey that feared him so. The thought caused a sadistic grin to appear upon his lips causing the stench to heighten a bit. He loved the thought of demons fearing him, a half-bread. Those that would taunt him in his younger years now fell down at his feet paralyzed with fear for him, for the power that he and his brother had a acquired together for themselves. Power in the underworld, in this society of men that lived on the more shady side of life. And wouldn't you know it, they were the good guys.

He stopped his procession forward when the miko witch disappeared behind some doors to tell her mate of his presence there, but even a spiders dull sense would have caught his aura in the vicinity by now. He kept his eyes firmly upon the door, nor mater how much the felling of eyes watching his back itched beneath his skin. To look at them right now with this much fear in the air, his demon side just might claim his mind.

It was not more the a few seconds later that the door opened for him, allowing him entrance. He walked through, ears pinning to his skull when the heavy iron door squeaked shut; someone wasn't oiling their hinges on a regular basis, if at all.

The room was dark with a candle here and there only offering up enough light for human to barely make out what was around him or her. Behind a desk sat his query and next to him with her hands resting upon his shoulders was the miko witch. This was new, the desk didn't exist during his last visit, he sat upon the floor then. Inuyasha hid a grin, perhaps the fool thought it would offer him some sort of protection against his attacks. He scoffed at the mere idea, if he really wanted to he could lung with his claws at the spider and still do him some bodily harm for ticking him off with his words.

"What is it that you want of me dog." The spiders smooth voice questioned, red eyes glowing in the candle light as they studied him. "Surly it wasn't to threaten my establishment or harass Kikyou at the door."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Obviously the miko witch knows how to spin a story." His eyes sparkled merrily as his sight strayed to the dark haired woman standing beside the spider. "I quite distinctly remember her turning me away from the door, or at lest trying to anyways, because of your great fear for me." He moved forward, choosing to lean against the wall oppose to the seat in front of the desk. It was better to have a position that did not leave him vulnerable in the event of an attack.

Discretely shooting his mate a disapproving look, the spider answered. "If I were afraid of you, dog, do you believe that I would allow you to enter this place without trouble?" He clasped his hands atop his desk, waiting expectantly for his answer.

Shrugging the hanyou said. "Couldn't tell you, I just thought you were smart and didn't want to have to go through relocation one more time, but then I could be wrong." Pinning the spider with a glare that broke no argument, he demanded. "Enough with the idle chit-chat, spider, I need a favor of you."

The spider looked on the hanyou's form in amusement, as he stated haughtily. "Of course you do, you always need a favor of mine dog. A favor that usually entails a trial that you cannot accomplish on your own, what is it this time dog?" He inquired, bringing around himself an air of superiority. The hanyou wished nothing more then to swipe at his head. Now would not be the time to do it.

As he answered he couldn't help but wonder how the miko witch could stand in one place with such a rim-rod straight stance and find her legs still awake. If she were a demon he would understand, but she was not more then mere a weak and pathetic human. "Don't get too full of yourself spider, I doubt that you could even accomplish this task that I need of you." Now was time for the goading. The spider would go through hell and back again just to prove him wrong. Inuyasha found it all quite humorous and always used this bit of information as a means to get better results in what he wanted.

"Try me." He drawled out lowly, his red orbs flashing dangerously as a sadists smirk appeared upon those bloodless lips. Those smiles always gave the hanyou chills down his spine, he was just grateful he was able to hide this reaction well enough.

"Alright." He goaded. "It would seem someone stole some files on my partner's background, along with some stuff involving the Sunset Shrine in Hokkaido. I want for you find it and report it to me in a week when I come back to collect it from you." Flexing his claws in the dim lighting, his eyes narrowed threateningly as they rested upon the spider. "If you hold anything back I will personally gut you, fry up your entrails and feed them to the lower demon scum of the underground world."

The spider nodded slowly, but grinned suddenly. "Why aren't you having the monk look this up, isn't this type of thing right up the perverts ally?" He questioned, only to have his grin widen at the slight flinch in the hanyou's face and tensing with in the muscles of the arms crossed over his chest.

"Shut it spider, you know nothing." Inuyasha growled out lowly, threateningly. He did not want to talk of his partner at the moment. Nothing would tick him off more then he was a the moment, unless he were to continue to head down this line of interrogation. Spiders were never intelligent creatures.

"Let me guess, you and the monk had a falling out? Always thought it would happen, personally. Is that why he's not here with you now? Don't think that I didn't notice you were alone." He sneered.

Faster then the eye could see, Inuyasha leapt over the desk grasped his throat in a crushing grip, slamming him up against the wall behind him. Breathing heavily as he reigned his temper under control, he glared heavily at the man he held suspended a few inches from the ground against the wall. The miko witched watched the scene with worried eyes, but other then that made no moves in stopping him. "If I hear about this again, if say another word after I put you down that I do not agree with, or you open your mouth when I return and I will kill you; no regrets." His words were cold harsh, like steel being bared.

The spider nodded his agreement. "How is it we always end up in this position?"

Inuyasha let him drop to the floor and put distance between the two of them so that he would not be temped to repeat his actions. "Because spider you have a knack for opening your mouth and saying something that pisses me off." He replied nonchalantly. "Just make sure you do as your told and we won't have any problems." With those parting words, Inuyasha slammed the door behind him as he made his slow exit. He wasn't in any hurry.

****

"Where the hell have you been!" Miroku shouted as soon as the form of the hanyou came into sight. He had been waiting in this spot, the exact dock that they met at for assignments, for hours. At first it had only been two, and decided that it would be better to check on the shipments himself then have Sesshoumaru breathing down his neck for supposedly botching a job. Or worse yet, signing his death warrant by ditching the job entirely. For surely that is what would have happened if he had gone with his first instincts to wait for his late partner. "I've been waiting for you to show up for hours!" He shouted once more as the hanyou got closer.

Inuyasha stopped. "Did you…?" He trailed, voice a tad bit hesitant. He needn't have to finish his sentence as Miroku knew exactly what he spoke of.

"What do you think?" Catechized sarcastically causing the half-demon half-human to raise his brow in slight surprise. He must have really angered the monk, first the curse word and then the sarcasm. Miroku was always calm and composed when dealing with this type of situation. Something was wrong, or at lest what ever it was that the monk was dealing with was really starting to grate upon his nerves.

"No need to get snippy on me." Inuyasha shot back, looking the monk over a moment he said. "I had to see spider for Sess, apparently someone hacked into the office computers and messed with something." He knew what had been messed with, but did not mention it least he make his partner suspicious. Noting the slight pale color to his cheeks, Inuyasha was able to deduce that he did have something to do with the information's disappearing act. "I did try and call you, but your cell kept turning me over to voice mail and you know how I hate to deal with answering machines." He offered, hopping that his lie would not be seen through.

A look of slight guilt drew upon Miroku's features. He had forgotten that he had turned his cell off during his visit with his siblings. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, I must have turned my cell off." He relied absentmindedly. "Tell me that you brought backup with you when you saw the spider." The monk pleaded. "Don't tell me you were foolhardy enough to go into hostile territory alone."

Inuyasha laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head with a clawed hand. "So what if I did?"

Miroku slapped a hand to his face groaning. "You could have been killed and then there would have been nothing Sesshoumaru could have done about it being that you were killed upon hostile territory. A place that is agreed upon by everyone for some foolish reason that it is okay to kill there and not be held accountable." He shouted. "I don't even know how that one passed, nor do I really want to." He grumbled.

Inuyasha crossed his arms defiantly, staring his partner down with inscrutable eyes. "Where were you that you couldn't get my call, monk?" He inquired crossly. Miroku never had his cell turned off, for even he knew that in their line of work a emergency could happen at any time of the day and they would be expected to heed that call. Where was he that he had need to turn the phone off? Was it a place that he could not risk being tracked. Inuyasha shook his head, why would he worry about such a thing? The sooner he found out his partner's secrets, the sooner he would find his answers to all these questions.

"Church." He blinked a couple of times. "That reminds me… are the bodies still at the societies morgue?" He tried to question with an air of indifference, coloring it to his voice, but Inuyasha could sense a myriad of other emotions underlying the tone.

The hanyou softened for that moment. He knew what it was like to lose someone important to you, and whether the monk would admit to it or not, he knew that those two he had the clean up crew pick up were important peoples in his life. "Yeah." He replied faintly. "I gave them strict orders to do nothing with their bodies unless of course you gave the orders for it. You could go down a see them anytime you want." He added. "Though I would do it soon."

Miroku nodded, and then quickly changing the subject not wanting Inuyasha to read more into his curiosity then what he had already done. All his maneuvering had accomplished was to make the hanyou more suspicious as well as to assure himself that the woman and old man were something to him. The only question would be is, what? "I have to pick up Shippo from the kitsune society."

Amber eyes narrowing in concern, Inuyasha questioned. "Why? What happened? Are they picking on him too, their own kind?" Each inquiry came out in a lower growl, until the last was nearly unrecognizable underneath his anger spoken -or more like growled out- words. Even though he would not admit to it, he held a soft spot for the kit. When something or someone managed to find a place there, and that someone or something happened to of been harmed then the aggressor usually found him self exiled from the living world. Miroku claimed it was his heart that felt this, he was more inclined to disagree. To him it was a bad case of chest pains, damn things are so annoying it drove him to kill those that irritated or enraged him during an episode. "Or did the runt not saying anything?" At Miroku's nod, Inuyasha cursed under his breath. "Damn brat and his damn silence!"

"I was going to take him back to your apartment." He tossed out casually, cautious like. He had to tread carefully when it evolved Shippo, and he wasn't entirely certain his friend was going to like this idea. "I thought that perhaps he would do well with a female presence watching over him, and besides that the little boy would make a great playmate."

Eying the monk while shoving his hands into his pockets, he asked. "Do they know about demons?"

Wincing, he replied. "Not to my knowledge." That meant a definite no, and Inuyasha, having made his acquaintances for quite some time knew it too. It was a little disturbing sometimes to realize how much the hanyou knew him, and was able to interpret his moods and just about every movement. To know the exact meaning behind most of his words. It was even more disturbing that he could provide the same type of knowledge about the hanyou himself.

"No." Was his reply.

"Why not, I think that it would be a good idea?" He pushed.

"If they don't know about us, Miroku, then they would freak and likely call the police when they saw Shippo." He pointed out logically, which was a bit startling. "Do you really think the kit needs the sting of rejection on top of the other pains he was forced to suffer in his life." No, more startling was the empathy he seemed to share freely in that moment. Did he even realize that he had done it? The monk assumed not.

"I was planning on having him take on a human form." Miroku stated, and before Inuyasha could protest he added. "Besides if Shippo decides that he does not like it there, we could always take him back. Place him somewhere else." After a long moment of consideration, Inuyasha hesitated a bit before nodding his consent. "Great." Miroku rubbed his hands together in glee. "I shall be on my way then." With that he turned down the opposite way Inuyasha had come in, the hanyou watching as he happily made his way down the empty street in silence.

****

Sweat matted her hair to the sides of her head as she tossed in turned with in her bed, the blankets twisting around her body, restricting her movements as if she were chained to the wall. Moans of displeasure made their ways passed her lips along with screams of fright, and mumbled pleas as the night terror took over her mind and warped her thoughts enough for her to believe what she saw actually stood before her; that it was real. The fear that cloaked her, the speeding of her heart, the cries for help, the cries for her parents, they all suggested that this dream was very real for her.

The door to her new room opened slightly to admit a showed figure outlined by the beam of moon light that spilled through her windows. This silhouette watched a moment, wincing visibly as a pitiful whimper started in her throat before making it's leave through her lips. At that sound it found it's legs moving of their own accord to her bedside.

"Mama! Someone help… I can't.. save…." The rest of it were spoken in incoherent words, before she sat up quickly with a startled gasp, making the figure next to her nearly jump out of its skin in fright. It had not been expecting her to do that. Eyes scanning the dark expanse of her room, stopping for a moment upon the shadowy blob. With a heartfelt sigh, she lay herself back down, tears gathering at her eyes. "Miroku." She whispered. "Lay with me like when we were children, when I had a bad nightmare." She pleaded with her shadow companion. "Do what you did then to make it all go away."

She felt the bed shift as he entered it, spooning her back against his stomach and securing his arms around her tightly. "It's alright imotou, I'll make sure nothing harms you." Once those words were spoken, he began to hum lightly the melody their mother would sing for them. This is what he did before, when she was a bit younger. He never sang the words, saying that he could never sound as wonderful as there mother and thus settled on humming the melody that went with it.

"Thank you, aniki." She whispered, and it wasn't long after that that he felt her body shift, her breathing slowing down to one in a deep sleep. She did not wake the rest of the night with another terror, and for that Miroku was glad.

****

A/N: Another chapter finished! I'm so happy! If anything needs to be edited I'll check that latter to day, but I stayed up all night writing this so I need some sleep, good night!

I made some anime music videos, if any of you want to check them ?.dir/MyDocuments&.viewl

One is Inuyasha and the other is Rurouni Kenshin, both of the songs are by a band called April Sixth, and they are very good. Both are done with my favorite songs by them. If you do listen to it and like the songs you can find out more about them at effects , click links and then click the letter A on the side panel and it should be under the list of names.

Here's the polls:

Sess/ Rin- 16

Sess/ Kagura- 19

Wow, for awhile there I really thought it was gonna be a Sess/ Rin, but as it turns out, its not. So here are the newest parings for your eyes to feast upon.

Sess/Kagura

Kohaku/Rin

I actually like Rin and Kohaku parings, there so cute! Sess and Rin too, but then there are really good Kagura and Sess out there! Anyways I shall try and do my best to become one of those…. And for those of you whom were looking forward to the Sess/Rin, I will put lost of cute moments with them together -k-

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Review Answers:

firegoddess- Grins Thank you so very much!

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Tornado Tail- Thank you, I am really touched that you think so… I know how you feel, and I will see what I can do about faster update, but I wouldn't count on it too much considering that it is the school year now.

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Lozenge- I'm glad you think so, I put lost of forethought into this fic before posting it. Worry not, for you shan't be disappointed as you can see this fic is now classified as a Sess/Kagura.

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Kuramafan58- I am not offended at all, we all have our preferences and your just happens to be more towards the actual story line of the series and I take no offenses in that. I also thank you for your comments on my story, I really appreciate them and if it interests you I do have a one-shot that fallows the story line as well as plan on another fic that goes along with the story line. Though it will not be posted until I'm nearly done with this one… or perhaps my other "Simple Lies."

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The Demon Miko Queen- Thank you for the review and comments, I really appreciate them.

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Crazydog- Thanx a bunches!

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Bubblydemon- I hope you don't hurt your thought screaming, though I am touched you think so well of my story. I will try to update faster, but I am not sure on how fast I will be able to do it seeing as that it is the school year and I am rather busy with school work… Yuck! School work sucks!

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Angelic Death- thank you for your input and thank you for the review I appreciate it very much!

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Angst Queen- I'm glad that you do, I tried my darnedest to make the characters really likeable, that or, in latter chapters, really despicable. I like your name, and I'm gonna make an educated guess that your into angst fics and in that case I'm gonna recommend my sis's fic "No Life Flower," its very angst filled and I'm sure you'll like it. The fic is on fan fiction. net and her screen name is devour thy flame, if you want to check it out that is.

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Desires Reign- It makes me happy that you agree with me, and no offense to anyone out there, but most peps make her to defenseless and whiney when she really isn't… though in my fic I made her more towards my own personality -well only slightly- but it makes me happy that you like it.

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Canz- Gottcha

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Yay!- Thank you!

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Dawn's Light- Wow! I feel so honored, though I hope you didn't lose to much sleep over it, and I thank you for your comments on my story. Who is your friend by the way? Well tell her I said thank you for thinking that my story was worth waking up another just to read it. Tell her she made me feel really good and kind of special by doing that, as well as you too for actually listening and taking the time to read this fic Thank you!

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Frosty Shake- Thank you so much for the comments, I really appreciate them!

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Honey Dew- Thanx for all of the nice things you said about my story, the make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

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Fan fiction .net Reviews

**_inuyashakougalegolas_**- thankx!

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Nab

**_potchi silverhawk_****_- _**Really? Thanks… and don't worry about we all tend to skip toward the part that contain the characters we really like sometimes.

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Tanuki-sama

Puppy Lover

Angel Hair Pasta- thanks, I'm glad that you thinks so! grins I agree with you there, Sess is drool worthy!

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Lily Girl

KeeraSango- Don't worry, Sango's coming up soon, likely in the next chapter. Awe your so sweet! I think that you're the only one on here to wish me a happy birth day and that mean a lot you know Thanks for the cake, and don't worry I have… oh and since you seem to be a big fan of Sango, the chapter that she appears in, I'm gonna dedicate it to you… And if you like Sango and Miroku together you might want to check out the vid I made for them, the link for it is up there in the author notes.

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Thanks to every one whom reviewed, it really means a lot to me! If I forgot anyone then I am truly sorry and I will be sure to get you in here next time around!

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This chapter has been revised, if you see any mistakes that I may have missed feel free to say so in a review Zonza


	6. Unveiling

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Six: Unveiling

**_S_**hoved into a stuffy corner designated to be her workplace right across from her target; the man she was to watch for Sesshoumaru. As she flipped through files of past cases -yes that's right, she had not more then a desk job, but at least it was something- her ruby eyed graze would stray to that man occasionally. She was watching, waiting for anything. She let the hand that held the pen droop slightly, there was nothing interesting going on with this man, but she was determined not fail. She would show Sesshoumaru that she deserved to be sent on more assignments like this.

With renewed determination she began rereading the statement of a witness of case comparing it to others, her eyes scanning for any loopholes to be used against them in their quest to putting the aggressor behind bars. The man apparently was being detained for murder, actually there were quite a few of them. The witness, all but one, believe that he was truly capable of committing these heinous acts. She had only the stomach to read one such murdered woman -his collogue professor- and she never wanted to eat, much less see, meatloaf again or any ground beef foods for that matter. It was just sickening, and her stomach gave a lurch just thinking about the files descriptive scene. She could not bring herself to look at the pictures taken of the body; not that there was one left.

She shuddered, and it was not from the cold, but more like revulsion. "Kagura-san, is everything right with you?" A not so familiar voice queried curiously.

Looking up from her papers her eyes caught on to one of her colleges, a short stout man with the only ounce of hair visible on his entire body under his bottom lip -she had learned this to be a sore spot with the fellow- whom went by the name of Sukou. Forcing a smile she replied. "Yes, Sukou-san, everything is fine. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged his large shoulders nonchalantly and then grimaced. "I can tell by your expression that your reviewing the Nogikuma case. No agent as of yet has had the stomach to actually finish filling, guess that's why you've been stuck with it." Then his entire expression change and she knew that he was going to change the subject. "I just got word that the boss wishes to see you."

A frown marred her features as her eyes gazed upon him thoughtfully. "Do you have any idea what the reasons could be?" She inquired, staking the files neatly and lying them with in the folder; she left it to sit within the middle of her desk so that she would be able to find them easily when she retuned. That is if she would be returning.

Sukou shook his head. "I haven't the faintest." He replied good naturedly. "Though judging by the old man's mood I'd say your not in any trouble, though you might be if you don't hurry. Something about wanting you there on the double or something."

She stood from her desk, and motioned for the man to lead the way. Never before had she met the man that was her boss, when she was hired for this occupation she spoke with the second in charge and the man's secretary; if you could call her that. It was this woman that made her wonder just what type of man her boss just happened to be; her guess was arrogant, perverted and likely cold or perhaps conniving. The last part was thrown in there on the account of the rumor she had heard. Apparently the secretary was gullible enough to believe the boss when he told her it was required of all female workers to ware the revealing outfit that adorned her body on a daily basis.

Kagura rolled her eyes as she snorted softly to herself, the fool of a woman couldn't see that none of other female workers fallowed her line of dress. Then again that was a blonde for you. She trailed silently, eyes ahead of her, as the stout man lead them down a line of cubicles to an elevator. As he pressed the up button, he paused to allow her a small smile. "The boss's office is at the very top." Was all he said as he motioned her inside, once again pressing another button; thirty-fifth floor. Were there really that many floors in this building, she wondered briefly. "Once you get off, just continue on strait down the hall to the double doors." Then before she could even utter a word, he was gone. Going back the way they had come from.

As the elevator made its journey upward, Kagura couldn't quite shake the feeling that she was getting ready to head for her execution. Maybe it was the silence of the small contained box that was doing it to her, she always did have a small problem with Closter-phobia. Though none but Sesshoumaru knew of it, and that only being that he had happened upon the slight weakness during a game of tickle torture. The though brought a laugh to he lip, dispelling the dread from her nerves. Knowing Sesshoumaru as she did now, there was definitely no chance in a cow jumping over the moon that he was ever likely to admit to such a thing let alone participate in a game once more.

If it had not been for the ding of the elevator knocking her from her thoughts, Kagura might have missed the doors opening, so lost she was in her reminiscing. She exited hesitantly, only to be met with the most intimidating long winding hall; the pictures of dead men decorating its walls all the way down.

She was wrong, it had nothing to do with Closter-phobia. The feeling was back and even stronger then before, and that had likely something to do with many of the sightless eyes gazing upon her form. The ball of dread now the size of a golf ball squeezed at her insides to the point it was almost painful, her heart beating rapidly fast.

Kagura shook her head of the all consuming feeling, holding her head up high with a new determination. What did she have to fear of this human? She was a demon, if anything he should be the one with fear enveloping his heart! Immediately her shoulders dropped. If she were in fact walking to her doom there was nothing to be done about it until Sesshoumaru came to her rescue; as much as she dreaded that thought. If she were to take action in freeing herself from captivation she would not only be revealing her involvement with the society as a truth, but also the existence of youkai to a possible enemy that may have on exact knowledge of them.

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I am not nervous! She repeated the mantra over and over within her mind, willing herself to except the obvious lie. Her feet glided gracefully over the marble floor, taking her closer and closer to her destination before stopping at the double doors that were large enough to admit a dog demon in natural form. With a deep breath she smoothed down her work pants and sleeves of her blouse before pushing the doors open.

She had expected to see a secretary waiting patiently at a desk near the door to her boss's office, she had expected having to go through the hassle of dealing with the secretary and an extra long wait until actually seeing him. What she had not expected was a large dark, dank room with the blinds drawn and a desk along with his chair -back facing her- stationed in the middle of the room closest to the back wall.

"Kagura, I presume?" An aged voice questioned as the owner turned in his chair to face her, to get a look at her. She was floored from shock. He was an old man with a lathery face, not only that but bold, missing a few teeth and fat. She blinked a couple of times, he wasn't scary at all. This is what her fear had been force. The rumors had made him seem more ominous, and perhaps a bit younger then nearing his seventies. His aged eyes roved upon and down her form, and she had to resist the urge to brutally beat the old man. _One must have respect for their elders. _She reminded herself firmly. "I always make it appointed to know my female workers personally."

She did not like how his tone purred those words out, they scent shivers of revulsion down her spine. She edged away. "That is… quite commendable sir, but if I may ask, why am I here?" _Keep your words polite and do not give him any ideas. _Her thoughts voiced their help within her mind.

"Yes about that." He croaked, his dark orbs gleaming cunningly, but disappearing quick enough. "I thought that I should be the one to inform you about the dress code for the females of the work place." He tossed out casually.

Kagura sighed and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You do realize that while you are my boss and technically your word does stand, I know for a fact that it is not required for all female personal to wear such ridiculously revealing scraps of cloth and should you proceed to press this upon me I while file for sexual harassment against you, boss or no." She managed all in one breath, without giving of the appearance breathlessness, staring him straight in the eyes. In youkai body language, or instinct, this would be considered a direct challenge to her superior.

His shoulders shook, before deep rooted chuckles began flowing passed his lips and to he own youkai ears. "You are a smart one, and never before have I heard the spiel." He barked out the complement around a mouth full of laughter. Calming down, the old man brought grizzled fingers to wipe the tears away from his eyes, flicking the salt water of to the side. He grinned. "I play a trick like this on the new employees, something on the men and something on the women too see how long it takes them to figure it out."

Kagura shot him a look of bewilderment. "Eh?"

She watched in slight curiosity as his face was immediately wiped of all humor, setting in to a more solemn look. "You have met my secretary haven't you?"

Not quite sure in which direction he was going with this new conversation, Kagura only nodded her head cautiously, eyeing him like a rattler that may strike at any given moment. Never before had she been under the employment of more mentally ill person. Hopefully whatever is problem was, it wasn't catching. Human's had the worst diseases, and if a youkai wasn't careful they may end up in bed with one of them. "Yes, I believe that I have."

He nodded. "She's worked under me for over three years, and though she may be an airhead she's a wonderful secretary."

Kagura rose a brow, wasn't this a bit off topic? Deciding to voice her opinion of this, she said. "What exactly doest his have to do with out earlier conversation?"

He looked her square in the eyes, all humor clouding over the dark orbs instantaneously. He then leaned over in his desk a bit, whispering the answer to her as if it were some sort of dark secret. "She still hasn't figured it out." The old man then suddenly fell into another spiel of laughter, his lungs heaving with each gulp of air he took in.

Kagura herself chuckled a bit, but had enough control over herself not to turn into a hysterical fool nearly killing herself with the lack of oxygen one received when laughing so hard. "Is that all you wished of me sir?" She queried. The wind sorceress just wanted to leave, she wanted to get back down to her stuffy desk and watch her prey as she had been ordered.

"Eh?" He replied, calming down with a long sigh. "Nope that's it, you really had me surprised there, only one other figured it out as soon as you." He commented carelessly.

The last of his easily tossed out sentence caught her attention. "Yeah, who was this someone?"

Rearing back in surprise at the cold calculation eyes the bore into her own red ones, she hesitated a moment, her mind mulling over whether or not she could break the silent staring that had fallen between them. She needn't have to worry over it much longer as his words cut into the quite like a well honed dagger. "He is dead." He spat, lifeless and dull was the feel of his tone against her skin. Being a wind witch she was acutely aware of the feel of his words, and she felt a deep shuddered over take her. How had this change in his persona occurred so quickly?

Should she leave it at that or figure out why? It was a questioned that echoed through her as she went over in her mind the evening with Jaken. He had informed her of the rules Sesshoumaru wanted her to fallow, ones she already knew, but needed to repeat for the well being of the green toad. A sadists grin would have split her lips now as the answer came to her. Sesshoumaru had never said anything about gathering information through word of mouth by questions that were disguised as natural curiosity. With that in mind she made sure to inquire hesitantly. "If I may ask, sir, how was it that he died?"

His facial features remained the same, but at that question it seemed a spark of fire light his eyes with malice. It made her heart speed up slightly, what was she getting herself into? She lamented, but it was to late to start back, she had already opened her mouth. "He placed his nose in a crack that it had no business sniffing." Kagura watched as he visibly fought with himself, to assuage his rising anger. Being youkai, she could smell his emotions and they made her stomach turn in disgust. "He disobeyed orders and found himself dead for a stupid belief."

Kagura ducked her head in an excuse of being remorseful for bringing up bad memories, in reality she wished not to gaze into the dark abyss that would be the man's eyes. "I see." She murmured, quite unsure of how to make her leave of the office with this new turn of events.

"Yes, well it goes to show the value in listening to what one is told." He replied, and when she lifted her head up slightly to catch a glimpse of his face; she noticed it was all smiles. "Kagura-san, you may have you leave now." With a bow, Kagura made a hasty exit, wanting to the furthest as humanly possible away from this man. "Oh and so you know, I am called Akihito Hojou."

****

The night, it went undisturbed by the blowing winds or the sounds of the usual nightlife in this part of town; it was quite peaceful. All that could be heard really, and only by those that walked the side walks, would be the gentle hum of a care engine.

Bright red orange hair stood out upon a small boys head as he walked hand in hand with an older taller man, clothed in all black that one had to look again to see his presence next to the seemingly human child. The peculiar head of hair hung low in a stance of dejection, this would be the fifth place he had been moved to since coming into the care of Inuyasha and Miroku. Shippo quite frankly was getting sick of it. He tried everything he knew to fit in, to get those that housed him to adore him enough to want to keep him around.

Nothing ever worked, and he was left feeling abandoned, loathed, and utterly depressed. So much so that he could barely drag himself up the these steps as Miroku urged him on, the monks hand covering his own. At lest Inuyasha and Miroku would never abandon him, they would never hate him, that he knew deep down in his heart. For no matter his trouble, they always saved him and though they would leave him places, they always came back for him. Shippo understood that in their line of work, he couldn't be hanging around, it would only be a danger to themselves more then the kit. He did not want them to become hurt because he held the childish urge to reside with the two men he thought of as father figures.

Tugging on the hand holding his own securely, Shippo looked up into inquiring violet eyes with own soulful green ones full of trepidation. "Are you sure about this, Miroku?" His voice floated to his ears softly. "What if they don't like me?" The kit whimpered, ducking his face from his surrogate father's face.

Tapping the kits nose lightly, Miroku smiled reassuringly. "Trust me, Shippo, they'll love you!" He replied enthusiastically. At the fox's doubtful look he added. "What's there not to love?" Shippo shrugged, of course what's not to love? He still hadn't figured it out yet, but he knew there was something. Why else would those that housed him turn there backs on his latter, why else would his true father leave him in a dumpster at the back of a bar?

As the continued climbing steps after steps, he began to wonder why they did take the stairs. Actually he was curious when they past the elevator doors only to go through the stairway, but he didn't ask and did as Miroku lead. Now, now he would ask. "Why didn't we just go on the elevator, how come were taking the long way?" He asked, curiously peering up at the monks face before allowing his eyes to stray elsewhere. Not that there was much to look at in the white stairway other then whitewash walls and black rubber topped steps.

Getting a better hold upon the two grocery bags in his left hand that were meant to feed his siblings, he scoffed at the small amount of food the guy on surveillance bought. It was more than obvious he was used to buying food for himself and no more then that. He would have to do a bit of shopping himself, that or find a man with a family, a good sized family considering their appetites. Squeezing the hand trapped within his right, Miroku said softly. "I'm trying to think of a way to tell them about you."

"What!" Shippo panicked, his face acquiring a deer caught in the headlights look as he stared at Miroku freezing on the spot.

"Eh?" He muttered bemused, before a look of understanding lit up Miroku's violet orbs. "Oh, no its nothing like that. You see that can't know anything about our…" He paused with a thoughtful frown, before a sly smile touched his lips causing the kit to edge back a bit. He did not like the looks of that smile one bit. Miroku wanted something, or planned something that involved him. "There's a man out there the might kill them, and knowing what we do for a living might help the man find them." He explained to the child. "While you're staying with them say nothing of how we met or what you've done while in my care, and if you see anything suspicious make sure to notify me."

Deciding it wasn't so bad, Shippo pushed up his chest, eyes narrowing in determination as he declared. "You can count one me Miroku!" He held one clawed hand upon his heart, before placing the other upon Miroku's, the steady beat between his small fingers sending jolts of calming sensations through his little body. "I promise." He said with the sincerity and innocence that only a child could muster. The promise thing, believe it or not, was created by Inuyasha as a way to convince the kit they wouldn't leave him behind, that they wouldn't harm him. The hanyou claimed that by doing so connected their hearts as one and making a promise while completing this step, bound you to it for eternity, or until it was completed. It really depended on what was being promised or sworn.

Placing his glove free hand above the small cubby, clawed one that rested upon his regular beating organ a moment before wrapping his fingers around the smooth appendage, giving it alight squeeze. "I know." The corners of his lips kick up into soft smile. He let his hand drop, still holding the child's, as he stood leading Shippo once more.

"So how do you know them?" Shippo questioned. "How do you know that their nice?"

"I've known them since they were born." He replied in a whisper as he steered the kit toward the exit, opening the door and leading him out into a wide hallway. "Besides do you think that I would really leave you with someone you did not know if I was not sure they would treat you well?" Pulling a key from his pocket, Miroku unlocked the door, ushering the kit inside before kneeling down to his height. "You remember the other things that we spoke of before coming here, right?"

Shippo nodded a few times, saying lowly. "Never change from my human looking form, nor show them any of my youkai attributes cause they don't know we exist." He repeated almost in Miroku's exact words.

Nodding, the monk retook the kits hand and lead him down a hall and into a doorway. They were only within that room -the kitchen- for the length of time it took to place the little food the bags contained in their respective places. Hands, one human the other demon, were clasped together once more as the young one was lead down a twisting hall devoid of any decorations, only to come to a stop before a shut door. Discretely Shippo took a few whiffs of the air around him to determine what exactly laid beyond the closed door. Twinge of curiosity twinkled in his emerald eyes as he fallowed Miroku into the dark room. The scent was of a young human male, but there was something surprisingly gentle in it. It wasn't like the normal young human male scents he had sniffed out before, this one held an innocents to it and something else that he couldn't quite place.

"Souta it's me!" He whispered loudly into the dark room.

The soft click of a light switch was heard nor more then a second before light flooded the room, nearly blinding it occupants as their retina's got use to the change. Miroku turned to catch a look at his brother, and smiled softly. Souta grinned in return only to have it slip to a thoughtful frown of curiosity as his line of sight took in the red haired little boy. "Who's he, Miroku?" He questioned, moving a bit closer as his brown orbs studied the newcomers form.

Pushing the kit forward, he answered. "This is Shippo, and Shippo this is Souta." After hearing the kit make a shy 'hello,' he went on to say. "He's staying with you and Kagome for a while." A brief look around the room and he frowned, his imotou must have gone to bed already. He had expected her to be in Souta's room. With the smallest, almost nonexistent, amount of hesitation Miroku said. "Why don't the two of you entertain yourselves with the playstation while I speak with your sister Souta." It felt weird on his tongue to refer to Kagome as 'your sister' instead of 'our imotou.'

He watched silently a moment as Souta grinned while grabbing the kit's hand and leading him toward the TV, firing question after question at him while the kit struggled to answer them all politely, before leaving the room. It would be good for Shippo to make a friend of Souta and, as he saw it, it would help them both in the long run.

Swiftly moving down the hall to the room two door down across from Souta's, he pushed open the door slowly. The only light of the room was from the moon that managed to seep through the blinds, lining the ruffled bed with glowing beams. She, herself, lied prone upon her back, head to one side as her brow scrunched, lips drawn in a frown to show her discomfort. She was likely not having a pleasant dream, and her hands fisting in blankets that were wrapped around her body like restraints only seemed to scream this fact to him.

He began to move towards her.

A small groan left her lips as her head turned to the other side in a violent jerk. "Mama! Someone help…! I can't… save…." The rest was trailed of into incoherent words that he could not decipher, and he decided , words that he likely would not want to. Miroku backed up a step, startled, as Kagome bolted up with a gasp falling from her lips, breath coming out in heavy pants. A heart felt sight escaped her along with tears, he could see them course down her left cheek as they caught in the moonlight. Miroku felt his heart ache at the sight, he hated to see his sister like this. One she began to lay back down did he take steps towards, a hesitance in each one. "Miroku." She whispered, and he paused, startled. How had she known that it was him? "Lay with me like when we were children, when I had a bad nightmare." Her teary tone pleaded with him, and felt himself move all the faster until he was right next to her bed. "Do what you did then to make the go away."

Miroku felt a soft smile touch his lips, and his eyes at her request and as he remembered better days when they were younger. Each night he would sleep in her room from the tender age of two until she became what she claimed was 'a big girl,' at age of eight. He would stay, humming their mother's melody until her eyes would droop shut and her chest heave with breath of sleep. He missed those days, he decided, as he fixed the blankets around her so that she was no longer tangled up in them, before moving in to lie next to her. Wrapping his arms around her, he moved Kagome's head to his chest, dark hair spilling all around him. She always would say the melody sounded better to her ears when accompanied to the sound of his beating heart. He began to hum.

It wasn't long before he felt her breaths even out, but before she truly succumbed, he heard her whisper. "Thank you aniki." Smiling slightly he brushed his lips against her temple, muttering a sleepy goodnight that fell upon death ears, falling into sleep himself. She did not wake the rest of the night with another terror, and for that Miroku was glad.

****

Air from the open windows blew in a ruffled his silver locks as his eyes glared down upon his cluttered desk, or more precisely the contains of the manila envelope Kagura had placed within his hands. He was still unsure of her story upon how she had come holding possession of such a valuable document, but if what the words printed upon the white sheets of paper rang true; it was possibility to end things.

It was no secret that they knew the government was corrupt, all the governments of each nation held a dirty secret that they kept into the confines of closets and away from the prying eyes of the public. A secret that linked all countries together as one. Of course there were those that worked under higher powers that believed they were working for a brighter future for those that they governed; it was all lies. This being the fault of the flock, they should have better picked their shepherd, for all he wished to do was sale lamp chops to ring in a better profit.

The society did not know the full extent of their plans, nor were they quite curtain who of the those that governed them, that held power over them, was their enemy… the man that they had need to look over their shoulders for. He knew it was a man, one deep voiced and utterly cold.

Their father had been a government man, one into playing the game, the politics of the world, finding himself claiming the seat as one of the top senators for the country. They say it was because of this his father died, they say being one in such high power you have many foes that all wish to see your blood rain from the skies. They say that it is one of these many invisible enemies that had killed him, sending him -for a youkai- into an early grave. It was a pack of lies, a scandal covered up by the man that made an offer only have smashed into his face by a refusal. He should not have found it that day while he searched his father's office for clues to his killer, and thanked his father for leaving such a powerful piece of evidence.

It was after hearing that tape recorded by his father's hand, of his conversation with this man that he and his brother -after recruiting him into the cause- took over the local mafia and turning it into what is known as the society today. Their main goal being to take down the man who corrupted the voice of the government. No other names besides his father's was spoken, nothing was said other than a deep refusal and slanders toward this man's world dream. A dream that his father died for denying, and dream that Miroku's father lost his life to in the process of trying to hinder.

They had nothing to go on besides that tape, and words that were spoken to Miroku by Hakujou's lips.The words were useless and meant nothing to him and yet the end of the last sentence spoken to the monk confused him. They were a riddle, and so far could not be decipher as anything more than a dying mans dribble.

The printed words of this document on the other hand showed to the reader that there is a reason Higurashi Hakujou no longer exited in this plain, he had something that was dire to their completion of a dream. A dream that Miroku's father had tried to force into naught more then that. There was something out there that would hinder the efforts they've placed behind their plot and would likely be the undoing what promised to be a nightmare made real unleashed to the public. No word were written to give it a name, in the report it went without one, only being described as an indispensable object.

An object that he was going to acquire into his clawed hands.

Reaching over he pressed a red button above a speaker that lay upon the right hand corner of his desk. "Jaken, call Inuyasha and tell him that his and the monk's presence is required in my office and in three hours or else." He lifted the digit from the device not even bother to listen for the toad's reply as he settled himself in for a long wait. With sigh, he might as well attend to other things of business that call his attention.

****

Glaring at the building, Inuyasha shoved his clawed hands into his pant pockets. After an hours search he had come to the conclusion that Miroku was likely here with these humans that he claims are not more then friends of his father's. They were too close to be just simple friends, he could see that in Miroku when their conversation steered toward them. Their was a fierce protectiveness alit within his violet orbs every time he questioned about them, especially during that time in the van.

Sesshoumaru had said to meet him at the office in three hours and he had two of those left, well actually one and a half now seeing as it took thirty minutes to find his way here. Being broad daylight, he couldn't just run his way there. Whatever it was that his brother wanted, he didn't feel like arriving a second late. Whatever the reason, it was something of dire importance seeing that Sesshoumaru ended his message without a deathly threat. It was just a stern 'or else,' and nothing more.

Silently he continued forward, entering through the doorway with the required key, heading towards the elevator. Only one good thing would come of this, he would get to meet the two that Miroku risked his life so foolishly for. If it wasn't for the fact that he was second in command, and the monk's father spouting some gibberish and being so tightly involved in this whole scandal the idiot would be dead.

With those last thoughts, he entered his penthouse, amber eyes searching for his partner.

****

A/N: There! All done. So what do you all think? Soon Inuyasha will be meeting Miroku's ' friends of the family,' and Sango will be appearing in the next chapter! Just thought I'd give you all this little piece of info. Oh, and so you all know I don't hate Kikyou, but I don't like her either. So for you Kikyou likers out there I don't plan on making her a major itch, nor a complete and total slut either. She will only appear sleazy to Inuyasha, and there will be a reason for that later on. She will also be slightly dislikeable to others, and again I have a reason for it. There was past history with the two- Inuyasha and Kikyou-, and no it's not a relationship thing, just a misunderstanding. For you Kikyou hater's, well, I didn't put her with Inuyasha and they hate each other

Also, if anyone is blonde and offended by the comment I made in this chapter… well I'm blonde too! And so is my mom, a very light blonde at that! So if anyone was offended, well today's your lucky day cause I'm going to offer up some very embarrassing material to ya! So please forgive me, I made you laugh, or at least I hope I did.

One night when I was so tired I had no sense of direction or sense of solid objects, my mom said to get some shuteye and so I left to my room, right? Well I was walking and I slammed my face right into the shut door! And got a bruise on the side of my face! And what's worse, it was my brother's room! When I told my friends they were laughing so hard, and when ever they saw my face -cause of the bruise you know- they would burst out laughing. It's not everyday that I do something so stupid.

Okay now that I've shared that I'm going onto to something else, for some reason I can't get it to let me make the music videos visible to everyone and so I'll do something to remedy that and put up a link on a later chapter for you all -K-

Anyways, I've had a very late night, actually I have slept at all since yesterday night and so as I am writing this my eyes are shutting and my hands are typing all keys at random making it very hard to type a correct sentence, but I wanted to get this chapter out right now, but cause I'm so tired I'm going to answer reviews in the next chapter. The likely not on because I've heard that you could get your story deleted for it, and I don't want this story deleted.

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Thank you to all whom reviewed, I hope that you all have a wonderful day! Now I must find a bed, the floor will work too, and sleep!


	7. Female Assassin

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Seven: Female Assassin

**_T_**he heat of the flames so intense as they licked up the sides of the walls like hungry vultures, setting out to consume their home until nothing was left but ash, but she would not shed her only protection to ease her suffering. The smoke was so thick, so unrelenting that it even hindered her breath as she crawled along the floor like the fire-fighters explain when they pay a visit to your school. She knew that it was likely better than standing straight up, but her aching lungs argued otherwise. Her cinnamon colored eyes were blurred with tears and stung so badly that she was constantly blinking them closed in an attempt to ease the pain, if only a little.

She didn't understand what was going on! One minute her mother had tucked her into bed and the next she awoke to a smoke filled room. She instantly knew the house was on fire, but she could find no one. In fact, though her house was moderate size, she could barely tell were she was located at in her house; nothing was recognizable to her eyes and so who was to say that she had not passed a family member. The thought was hardly comforting and quickly pushed away.

Fear made her heart pump faster and shorten her breaths even more, actually it was getting really difficult to carry out the act of breathing. Her throat was beginning to burn with the force of breaths, and her ears could hear nothing but sound of her own beating organ and the roars of the flames and cracking of wood. She blinked a couple of times, had she stopped moving? Or was she still going on? It was difficult to comprehend at this point.

She didn't feel too well.

Suddenly she jerked back as her hand caught in the flames, searing her flesh with an agonizing pain she did not know existed. She soon learned that it was nothing compared to that which she felt as her back slammed against a burning wall. The red fire deciding that the pajama shirt that adorned her back was much tastier meal and set work at devouring it whole, along with her olive colored flesh. Her scream permeated through the sounds that already deafened the night as she rolled around upon the ground careful not to touch the all consuming flames.

She stiffened as she felt something touch her, but relaxed and sighed in relief as the cold wet cloth made contact with her burnt skin. She felt a hand brush aside her bangs, before the sensation of being lifted into strong arms jolted through her body. She felt safe, and relaxed, her heart slowing but her breaths still came out in forced puffs. It still hurt to breath. "Shhh…" A voice softly cooed. She recognized this voice, she new who it was, but for the life of her she could not get her eyes to open, nor could she turn her head in the direction of sound. "It's alright imotou, I've got you now."

She could feel them moving, slowly, but moving none-the-less, before she felt a pause. Her brother sat her down a moment and though she could not see what he was doing, she could hear it. She could hear his shoed foot make contact with the window, she could her it shatter with a startling clarity despite the rest of the sounds that assaulted her ears. If she had been able to form more coherent thoughts, she would have been worried about him. Worried that when that window had been forced assured, it had extracted some sort of revenge for it damage with a laceration of some sort upon the skin, by one of its flying shards.

She was being carried again, and she no longer felt hot, instead she felt the cool evening air caressing her cheeks like she were it's lost lover. She was being propped up against a tree, she could feel the bark irritating her skin through the cloth of her clothing. "I'll be right back imotou, I just have to go help our parents out, I'll be right back, I promise." She could feel herself nodding to his words, but it was when they penetrated did she snap her eyes open.

He was going to go back in there! She tried to stand, tried to move and tried to yell out for him as she watched his form disappear back into their home. Her heart lodged into her throat, her breath ceased to flow and dread weighed her body down despite how much she tried to move, as her eyes beheld the roof caving in. "Kohaku!" She screamed for her brother. In the distance she was vaguely aware of sirens crying out their coming. _Kohaku!" She balled, not even noticing the hand grabbing a hold of her as she struggled onward. "Kohaku! Kohaku, Kohaku…!"_

Her head shot up and she fell backwards in her chair. Despite the dull throb starting in her back and the place where her skull hit, she made no moves to right herself. "Damn it, Sango!" She chastised herself. "Why are you still having this stupid nightmare!" She was eight then, that night had happened ten years ago and it should no longer effect her. Yet it did. She angrily whipped the tears that formed in her cinnamon eyes before they could spill over.

That fire had stripped away from her every one that she cared about, and left her with nothing more then a scare upon her back as constant reminder. She grew up alone with not a soul to defend her, no one to feed her, no one to care for her. She had no love in her life. Sango had to grow before her time in order to survive the brutality of the Tokyo orphanage, she learned things at such a young age that none should know until the age of never. She had witnessed children be raped by the workers and beaten as they screamed for help. No one would ever help, no one cared. They made no secret of these blatant acts of violence, and would converse of them over dining like they were some prized accomplishment to be boasted over. It sickened her. The younger children, she would purposely drag their notice to herself in order to save them the pains of losing their innocence so young. She could not save them all, and it would send a dagger to her heart as she sobbed in her bed at night hearing their cries. She was locked in and could not get out to help them. They had caught on to her scheme.

The meals they would be forced to endure were not more then slop with the dead bodies of roaches floating around in them, that, or the feces of rats. She would refuse her meals and then run in the night to sneak something that did not cause her to toss out more then she took in. During her stay there, she had been skinny enough as it was. She would come back before anyone even missed her for the times that she was not, she was beaten and the food that she managed to save, confiscated. It was that food that she would share with the others, helping them have something other then that poison in their bellies.

It had been on one of these such journeys outside at the age of sixteen that she had found her savior. Sango had been traveling down the exact alleyway she always took as the shortest route back to the orphanage, she had been jumped by a few men. Growing up how she did, Sango was more then adequate at defending herself, but she had to admit back then she would have been killed had it not been for him. Four to one was not very good odds, even for her.

After the thugs had been taken care of, the man had informed Sango that he was searching for her. She was more then a little startled by the news, she was a nobody, what would he want with her? She had learned his name to be Miroku and would later learn that despite him claiming monk hood, that did not mean he held to the vow of chastity. Apparently he knew more than she would have liked about her personal life; he knew of the one she lead before the orphanage. His words still brought rage seeping into her soul to this day, made her shake with barely concealed hate as her face twisted into a snarl. _"The fire upon your family was no accident Sango, it was deliberate. They wanted your father dead, they wanted you all dead in case he had opened his mouth."_

"Who?" Her voice had trembled.

"No one really knows the answer to that, but that it's someone of high power." That was his answer to her, and after that he had offered her the job Sesshoumaru wished to offer her. The job came with many perks, the best being a penthouse in any location she chose, in fact she could own the whole building as long as she came to work for them. She would be paid a very high sum for every assignment she completed; the rate would very, but it could be anywhere from five to ten thousand. She was won before, but she made a very vocal agreement after the amount left his lips. She did not care what it was that she had to do, for that kind of money she would do anything.

She had gotten everything that was promised to her, and used the building as a safe-haven for orphaned children. She gave them everything, her pay checks were used to feed them, to cloth them and to buy them whatever their hearts desired. She wanted to give them the things that the orphanage denied her. It was shortly after she received these gifts that she also received her first phone call and it was a request -or more like a demand- that she come down to the eastern piers for her training. The nature of her job was… shocking to say the least.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. With a heartfelt sigh, Sango pushed herself up from the dinning room chair, fixing it back into place. She walked over to the counter and picked the phone off of the cradle, pressing the button before placing it at her ear. "This is Sango." She told whomever was on the other line.

"It's Miroku."

Her eyes widened. This was new, her orders usually came from Jaken, Kagura or Rin, which were actually words of Sesshoumaru. "Who's to die now?" She was a master assassin, having taken to the training like a pro, being ready for her first assignment after only four months of intense training; quicker than most.

"It's nothing like that." He hurriedly assured. "I need a favor of you."

"I will not bare you a child nor will I consider a date, find one of your other hussies to dine with or whatever it is you do on a date a woman." She growled over the line, her hand clenching the phone in a tight fist. "Now this conversation is over!"

"Wait Sango! Hear me out!"

She wasn't sure why she was even considering giving the supposed monk the time of day, but then she guessed it had something to do with the desperation in his voice. For some reason it tugged at her, convincing her not to slam the phone upon the receiver. "Make it quick." She hissed out low, her cinnamon irises' looking around for the clock to get some sort of idea as to the time of night. She groaned mentally when it read a little half past midnight. She needed sleep after having pulled of that all-nighter just the other day. She could run on three hours of sleep if she had to, but she would rather not.

"Listen a girl and her brother may have overheard something they may help us with 'him,' she was attacked two nights ago and we have her in a safe house until we can question her." There was a pause over the line, a long pause that had her looking at the phone in curiosity. "I need you to show her around the school, look after her, she can be a real troublemaker at times, but she's basically a good girl all around." He finally requested.

She blinked a couple of times, falling into an awkward silence as she processed his words. "I guess that can be arranged, but it's a bit different then my usual work. So basically I play at her bodyguard, and keep her out of trouble?" She specified before the rest of his words became clear to her sleeping brain. "How well do you know this girl!" She cried. "That you could say something like that about her?" Though she made it appoint to pound his face into the ground for every offensive move and word, he was still her savior. He still saved her from the life she was leading and introduced her to something better, gave her the chance to avenge her family.

She had fallen for him, it was foolish, but she had done it.

There was such a long moment of silence that for a minute there Sango was sure he had hung up on her. "Yeah…" He whispered slowly. "Her family, or more to say, our fathers were, they were best-friends. I've known her since she was born, just… watch her for me, alright?"

"Al-alright." The line went dead. She still held the phone to her ear loosely a few moments in dazed contemplation, before she mechanically dropped the plastic thing into it receiver. That was a bit weird, she had not been expecting that. What did it mean? Did this girl hold some type of unknown power over him? It was the first time they had talked of the opposite sex without him making some sort of perverse comment upon, hell, she even got away unscathed. She didn't want to admit it, but…

It scared her like nothing else ever had. She needed sleep, and bad.

****

Glaring at the building, Inuyasha shoved his clawed hands into his pant pockets. After an hours search he had come to the conclusion that Miroku was likely here with these humans that he claims are not more then friends of his father's. They were too close to be just simple friends, he could see that in Miroku when their conversation steered toward them. Their was a fierce protectiveness alit within his violet orbs every time he questioned about them, especially during that time in the van.

Sesshoumaru had said to meet him at the office in three hours and he had two of those left, well actually one and a half now seeing as it took thirty minutes to find his way here. Being broad daylight, he couldn't just run his way there. Whatever it was that his brother wanted, he didn't feel like arriving a second late. Whatever the reason, it was something of dire importance seeing that Sesshoumaru ended his message without a deathly threat. It was just a stern 'or else,' and nothing more.

Silently he continued forward, entering through the doorway with the required key, heading towards the elevator. Only one good thing would come of this, he would get to meet the two that Miroku risked his life so foolishly for. If it wasn't for the fact that he was second in command, and the monk's father spouting some gibberish and being so tightly involved in this whole scandal the idiot would be dead.

With those last thoughts, he entered his penthouse, amber eyes searching for his partner…

It did not take him long to find himself before his apartments door, nor to push the said door open cautiously. Who knew what he would find transpiring around on the inside. He took in a deep breath to take in the new smells of the place as they hit him in the face, only to stop in mid intake, his amber eyes growing to the size of baseballs, jaw growing slack. _What is that smell!? _He thought furiously. There was another that slightly matched it, but he paid it no mind, fallowing the trail this scent left for him to fallow. What was it? He had never smelled anything of the like before, and for some reason it grabbed hold of him; unrelenting. It allowed him no coherent thoughts, other then ones trying to decipher exactly what it was, where it came from, or whom it belonged to.

He prodded through the entryway and down the hall leading toward the bedrooms. This scent, it was everywhere, but it was strongest in this area and thus he traveled down this path. Why did this scent matter so much? Why did it call out to him, demand to his instincts, demand that he find its origin? The closer he got, the more he lost interest in the reasons why, only that he was able to find it and fast. It seemed to divulge straight to his center and exclude a strange sense of calm throughout it body. He didn't like it, in fact, he was beginning to despise this scent more then he ever despised anything in his life. He was pissed as he marched his way towards the penthouse, he wanted to rip into Miroku and demand a response as to why he could not contact him when it was important. Now all he wanted to do was get the monk and leave, actually leaving had never really even crossed his mind.

Grunting as his backside made contact with the hard ground, he berated himself heatedly for allowing his mind to be so consumed by a smell that he did not pay attention to the scenery around him. His amber eyes traveled downward to find the kit wrapping his arms around his middle in a strong embrace. If it had been anyone else, he would not have minded caressing their flesh with his claws in retribution for touching him without his explicit permission. Placing one arm around him, he looked upwards, sight landing upon a gawking boy around the age of twelve. He knew for a fact that he had his demonic attributes well hidden, so the strange looks must be toward his sliver hair or perhaps the amber eyes.

"Shippo." Inuyasha growled lowly above the kit's ear. "Off."

Hastily complying with the hanyou's wishes, Shippo beamed up at him, shocking the half-demon a bit. He'd never seen the kid to look so… happy before, well other then the time he and Miroku picked him up from the dumpster offering him a place to call home. "Inuyasha!" He crowed. "You'll never believe it, but I got a new friend now and his names Souta!" He pulled the gawking boy to stand next to him, smiling slightly at the slack jawed kid before returning his green orbs to eldest of the three. "We played games almost all night, and when we woke up he was showing me how to play a game called Metal Gear! It's so great Inuyasha, I really, really like it here." He finished, taking in deep breaths to replenish himself after speaking such a long sentence in one.

Smirking slightly his amber eyes warmed slightly as they watched the small kit yammer on before coming to a halt to draw in breath. "Keh, I'm glad for you runt." He responded, then looking between the two, he said. "You wouldn't happen to know where Miroku is, would you?"

"He's probably still with my sister." The dark haired kid answered, his face now set into a large smile. "Her rooms over there." The boy pointed, then grabbed Shippo's hand in his own tugging on their joined hands to lead him back to his own room. "Come on Shippo, I still got to teach you how to play that game, and then I'm going to show you the wonders of Soul Caliber Two."

Watching them go, he couldn't help but think that Miroku made the right call when he thought to bring the runt here; it seemed to be doing some good for the kid and he'd only been there not even a day. Taking a discreet sniff of the air, he was surprise to note that the smell he had come across and hunted seemed to travel to the door. Stalking it slowly, he placed his clawed hand upon the handle, shoving it open lightly; peering inside.

His golden sight beheld his partner, Miroku, beneath the bed sheets and blankets holding tightly to his chest a woman. Not just any woman either, but the sister to the brother down the hall, the exact girl he had seen trying to comfort her otou during a night terror. The girl did not strike him as the type to be a lose woman, but then looks are deceiving. Sort of like the monk, claiming he had no interest in bedding the girl, only wanting to keep her safe. What load of bull! Clenching his fist, Inuyasha slammed the door shut, striding over to the foot of the bed.

With a loud growl, he roared. "What the hell is this Miroku!?"

Though he was beyond enraged at his partner, he could not help the few snickers that fell under his breath as Miroku shot up and falling out of bed; fully clothed as well. That drew a pause from him, why would he dress after rolling around the bed with the girl? The monk pushed himself up slowly, the edges of sleep still holding a good portion of his mind. "I just want some more sleep Inu…yasha?" The name ended in a question as Miroku stood up suddenly all signs of sleep gone as he stared the hanyou down with bulging violet eyes. "What in the world are you doing here Inuyasha!?" He shouted.

"This is Inuyasha?" A female voice sounded. She couldn't help but shrink back as two sets of eyes whipped towards her, on violet and the other amber. One glaring and the other… appreciative? Looking down at herself, Kagome pulled the blankets up with a startled gasp, before shooting him a fierce heated look as she trying to cool her burning cheeks.

Inuyasha couldn't help it, he couldn't stop his eyes from racking down her top half in appreciation. It absolutely revolted him, that he was acting like Miroku, but he could not help it as it was not every day he got to see something like this. It wasn't that she was naked as he had expected to see, no, it was that some time during the night her sleepwear had pulled down exposing her breasts to his gaze. He could barely contain his smirk as she squeaked, pulling the blanket up to cover her as she produced for him a heated glare to melt ice. He took a delicate sniff and found himself starting in shock. She was the smell. It was her scent the stole his mind from him, that calmed his anger upon walking into the house. He found his mood souring once more and was going to bark out demands until he saw Miroku fierce glower in his direction. It was so heated that it was a wonder he didn't burst in to flames then and there.

What was the monk's problem? He had walked in on him and a girl before, and Miroku had only made perverse comments… asking if he wanted to…share. He shivered that the thought in disgust. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen more of the girls the monk bedded then what he had gotten a glimpse of, what made this girl so different? This behavior for his partner was odd, and most disconcerting; making him feel uneasy. "I ask you again Inuyasha, What are you doing here?" Miroku questioned lowly, his glare not letting up.

"Me!" Inuyasha snarled. "What about you!? Why are you here? Why is it that I make a call that's important and you don't answer you damned phone!?" He demanded, before allowing his fierce amber eyes to slide from him to the girl and back again. "You said you didn't want this arrangement to get down this girl's pants, and where do I find you! In bed with the little slut!"

Inuyasha didn't know what hit him until he was under Miroku's weight, both of the monk's hands pinning down his shoulders to the floor. "You listen here Inuyasha! Don't you dare call her that again." His voice was harsh with his rage, breath puffing as he tried to regain control over his emotions. His body was latterly shaking. His violet eyes literally shown red. "Use your senses Inuyasha, we did nothing and if I ever see you looking at her in that- that manner again I will personally remove your only means to screw a woman properly!" He raged, lifting his balled fist. "You-"

Kagome cut his next words short as she caught his hand in her own, forcing the fit into a flat palm as she held them trapped between her hands. "Miroku stop this." She pleaded softly. "He doesn't understand." She lead him away from hovering above Inuyasha, to sit next to the floor beside him.

"He could have looked away." He pointed out sulkily.

Her cheeks flamed at this remark, and well it was true, and she should give her fists a nice work out on his face; she wasn't going to. It was a bit pointless to do so now after Miroku's show of bravado. "Y-yeah." She took in a breath and ignored her brother in favor of seeing if their guest was alright. Her brown eyed graze swept over him lightly. "A-are you alright? You didn't hurt yourself on the way down did you?" This just wasn't her day, she was so embarrassed that she could barely make her voice sound above a whisper.

He sat up, crossing his arms in front of his chest looking away from her. "Keh." He snorted. He was beginning to feel guilty, here she was being decent to him and he had just insulted her in a crude way.

"You could apologize to her." Miroku snapped. Inuyasha looked over at him in shock, he has never before spoken to him in such a manner. Who was this girl to him, that he would act in such a manner towards his best-friend? Was he in love with her?

Both paused in their glowering to glance at the girl as she moved toward her door, yanking the handle and allowing the two spying to fall to the floor before her feet. Getting ready to yell at her brother for spying when he shouldn't be, she paused as her eyes took in the form beside her brother's. A young redheaded, green eyed boy that looked to be the age of four, looked up at her with a bemused expression before it turned slight nervous and perhaps even a tad fearful. "Kawaii!" Grabbing the child up in her arms, she titled her head in question as she locked gazes with her brother. "Who is your friend, Souta?"

"I'm Shippo." A small voice piped up from her arms causing her gaze to turn to him.

She smiled softly, she always had a soft spot for little kids. Patting his fiery hair she squeezed him a bit closer to her. "Shippo is such a nice name, I like it a lot." She gushed. "I'm Kagome." She whispered to him like it were a well kept secret. "Who did you come with, Miroku or Inuyasha? Souta's not allowed to leave the house, so you had to come with one of them." She pointed out to what she thought was a questioning look.

Truly he had been puzzling over the reasons for the girl to be so nice to him, most of the woman would gush on and on about him that way they wouldn't have to face Inuyasha's or Miroku's wrath. This girl, she was being sincerely good to him and he could smell to fear emanating from her scent. It felt really good to have someone treat him well without the heavy tinge of terror clinging to them, to know that someone could genuinely act that way around him. It felt so good that he was nearly weak with the emotion, he turned himself in her embrace and buried his face into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. "You smell really nice, better then all those other girls they had take care of me." He said instead of answering her question. He was relaxed and those words slipped out in place of his answer.

Kagome turned towards her brother, raising a brow in question. She was seeking an answer behind the meaning of Shippo's words, he realized. He gave his most sincere smile, adding in the pleading eyes; she was never able to resist that mix when he tossed them at her. This also cause a suspicious light to enter her brown orbs. "Inuyasha and I took the kit in after we found him homeless on the streets, but our jobs demand so much time from us that we are unable to be there all the time so we've had others watch him for us… but they don't really work out as we wish them too."

"They all hate me." Shippo piped up sadly.

Kagome patted his back gently, swaying back and forth like she would for a babe, cooing to him softly. "I don't think that it's possible for anyone to hate you." She claimed, tying assuage his sadness. "In fact I like you so much that I'm going to let you stay here with me and Souta for Miroku, okay?"

He leaned back looking into her face with glistening green eyes, no had ever offered him a place to stay of their own free will before; usually Inuyasha had to threaten them a couple of times. This felt really good, so much so that he felt as if he might start crying soon, and he didn't want to do that in front of the guys. "Thank you so much Kagome!" He finally wailed, wrapping his arms around her neck in hug, before kissing her lightly on the cheek.

Kagome was stunned for a moment, before placing him back upon the ground. "Why don't you play with Souta while I talk with these two alright." He nodded, and fallowed her brother back to his room. Shutting the door, she leaned against it, glairing at her brother heatedly. As if her glower physically pushed him, he stumbled backwards a couple of steps before falling to the bed. "I'm going to guess that you had him for a while?" She queried coolly.

He gulped. "Yeah." He answered slowly as he watched every move she made with a strict caution that surprised the hanyou. He had been watching the exchange between her and Shippo with surprise, and now watched this the same way. He wanted to see why Miroku protected this girl so fiercely, why he would risk death for her and her brother. Though most of his shock came from how well the kit seemed to be able to relax around her, how much he allowed her to touch him. He tampered this shock, and feelings her actions dredged up within him with the simple fact that even though she was this way with him now, she would most definitely toss him aside sneering at him like a disgusting disease one she became privy to his actual species. He turned his attention fully onto the pair.

"Care to tell me exactly what kind of people you left him with, Miroku." She spoke his name like a well honed dagger, ready and waiting for the kill. Inuyasha had never heard his name spoken in a more frightening tone, and obviously neither had the monk, if his slight trembles had a story to tell. One thing Inuyasha didn't get was, why did she even care? Shippo was not her responsibility, nor had she met the kit until now. "Care to tell me why some one so young seemed to have been put through so much crap by those you left him with!?" The sentence was spoken in a harsh growl.

"Calm down Kagome!" He pleaded frantically. "Remember what happened last time, and besides I didn't know what kind of people they were until it was too late! Shippo wouldn't say anything to me!"

Now her browns gained a sad cast to them. "Why didn't you bring him to me? Didn't you trust me to look out for him?" She catechized so softly that Miroku could barely catch the gentle wisps of words as the ran past his ears. _You trust me with Souta fine enough! _She wanted to yell, but that would have been a bit confusing to their guest considering they were suppose to hold no relations to one another.

"That's different." He said as if reading her mind. "Sides I brought him to you now can't we just leave it at that." Miroku begged.

Kagome nodded, before grinning evilly. "I will leave it at that if you can beat me in a dual of the swords." She declared loudly. It was a custom between them -after she learned, and then with Souta after he was able to handle one without fear of him accidentally sticking himself- to dual with katana to see who would be in charge of what chore. They would pick one, fight over it and the loser would be stuck with it… unless of course both wanted it, then it would be 'to the winner goes the spoils.'

Eying the two suspiciously, linger a bit upon the girl's upper body taking note muscular shape of her body. Now that he looked… "What do you mean, 'a dual of swords?'" He quoted.

"Playstation game." Miroku answered quickly. "So why are you here anyways Inuyasha, you never did answer me?"

Deciding to let the problem drop, as he would find out this little hunch later, he said. "Se- the boss," he corrected shooting a quick glance in the girl's direction, "has need to see us or else." He mimicked in Jaken's voice earning himself a slight giggle from the one his friend called, Kagome. For some reason or another, it made him want to… smirk. "We need to be their in three hours, one and half when I got here…" he trailed as he froze in realization. "Damn it!" He swore. "Were going to be late, this whole stupid conversation has taken a whole damn hour!"

Miroku too froze at this realization. Jumping from the bed he made way towards the door. "Take care Kagome, and remember what we talked about!" He shouted as he ran down the hall and towards the door.

"You had better make sure not hair on that kid's head is harmed." He threatened, purposely bumping to her, causing her to careen backwards, therein forcing him to stop her fall by bringing the girl into his arms; safely. He had forgotten to compare the girl's scent to Miroku's, he knew that it wasn't likely, but he wanted to check to see if they held any similarities to the other. Holding her a second longer then what would be deemed necessary, Inuyasha let her go hopping he'd kept her long enough to get a decent sample. "See ya around girl." He called over his shoulder.

Kagome on the other hand her none of it, she'd never been held like that before and thus was trying to cool her red face down. Though most of it was due to the embarrassment that she was unable to right herself after he had knocked her down, she was skilled fighter for goodness sake.

**C**ool amber eyes glanced at the clock a feint grin appeared upon the stoic youkai's face. "Obviously Inuyasha misses the caress of my claws, if he is this late in getting here." Sesshoumaru whispered to the empty room as he counted down the minutes in to which he would oblige his brother's silent wish.

**T**he slight wind created from her two and fro movements upon the swing cooled the tears upon her cheeks to ice. It wasn't as if it were exactly summer any longer, in fact it was nearing December and the days were quick chill. The short sleeved shirt and thin pants adorning her body did nothing to keep the chill out. She thought as more tears fell silently. She knew that her grandfather had been old, but she had not expected him to die so soon, nor for it to be in the middle of the night, before she could even wish him well.

It hurt extravagantly when she realized that she had not seen her grandfather in months…

"Why is such a pretty girl as yourself crying out her all alone?" A male voice inquired. Looking up, she found herself to be staring into cinnamon brown eyes attached to head of long dark hair pulled together at the nape of the mans neck. He looked to be very gentle, if she were to go by his eyes.

"Who are you?" She blurted out, and immediately felt stupid.

**A/N:** I know that this is a stupid place to stop, but I've got so much homework to complete that it's simply amazing, with two reports to complete… one of them being on Charlemagne, guy did some amazing things! Anyways, I'll do all the Review answers on the next chapter…

**This chapter is dedicated to KeeraSango**

**To all you lovely reviewers out there, I would just like to take a minute to thank all of you for making my day by review, also that I keep you all in my prayers! Hope you all have the most wonderful day of all!!!!!!!!!!!**


	8. Searching

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Disclaimer: Don't own 'em!

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Eight: Searching

**_B_**arely ducking the fist aimed for his head, Inuyasha attempted a right hook to his brother's cheek, only to have his fist caught. Glaring at the older youkai, the hanyou growled. "What the hell?" Side stepping a muscular leg that was met to connect with this gut, temporally knocking the wind from him, he yelled. "I'm only ten minutes late!" Then he went for the trump card, it never failed to get him out of a tight situation with his brother. "'Sides, I bet Rin would agree that this treatment of me is a bit harsh."

Backing down only slightly, Sesshoumaru bore cold emotionless eyes into his younger brother's own, smirking faintly when he could smell a light tinge of nervousness enter his brother's stifling scent. "Do not repeat this action little brother, for Rin would not even be able to save you then." He forewarned, turning back to take the seat behind his desk, motioning his brother and friend to fallow his example. All but Inuyasha did so, and he expected no less. "I assume you both wish to now why I summoned you here?"

"Tch, enough with the crap Sesshoumaru and just tell us why the hell we're here!" Inuyasha growled out lowly, pinning his aniki with a dark look as he crossed his arm above his chest, back against the wall, in his standard stance.

Ignoring his brother's outburst, Sesshoumaru focused his attention upon the monk, one clawed hand pushing the recently acquired documents in to his line of sight. "One of our spies managed to come across these, I was hopping that you'd be able to shed some light upon the contains of this document, houshi." He removed the appendage blocking the monk from fully viewing the typed words and said. "It holds some interesting facts as to your father's disappearance… not only that houshi, it also tells of an object your father had taken from them… a betrayal if you will…"

Miroku skimmed over the printed letters, confusion etched into his features as his brows furrowed in deep thought. "He refused to go along with something, but he never said exactly what… and if he did take something, if that is the reason he died… then I haven't the faintest idea of what it could be that he may have possibly taken. He had never said a word about it." The monk leaned back in his chair, lids sliding shut coloring his sight black.

"You are sure of this monk?" Sesshoumaru instantly inquired, if there was even a long shot that he remembered some slight detail, he did not want to miss out upon it. He did not want to lose such a valuable lead due to memory failure or lack of information into the said lead. "And if you can not recall would there have been a soul still alive that you father would have beseeched this information too? Is there a chance that that soul or perhaps you know of a place your father would keep such an item if he had not said word of it existence?"

Immediately his sibling came to mind, but he did not allow them to linger there. Higurashi Hakujou, being in his line of work, did not trust a being that he could not call family… two possible candidates are dead and the other possibilities he did not want to entertain the thought of. Miroku shook his head. "My father trusted no one but those considered family, there is no one alive he would have allowed such knowledge to pass to and I would doubt he'd say anything to myself specifically. There is a chance he may have said something that had a deeper meaning to it…" He mused to himself though the words were spoken for all to hear.

Drumming his clawed fingers upon the surface of his desk, Sesshoumaru said after much thought. "Visit the spider."

"What!" It really wasn't a question as much as it was a way to release the feelings of shock and disgruntlement with his brother's orders. Backing away from the wall, Inuyasha turned to glare at the older youkai, claws tapping against his black clothed arms. "Tch, like that bastards gonna be any help!" He scoffed. He'd already seen the baka spider once this week and didn't have the will or the want to see him again, not to mention the reason for his little visit. The spider was likely to make him squirm, if not tell Miroku out right his reasons for the last stop.

Studying the tenseness of the hanyou's structure, the monk gave his friend a searching look. Something was a miss with his dear half-demon friend, the question would be what did it have to do with Naraku The Spider? "If you truly wish not to go Inuyasha, I can always find my way there without you." Miroku spoke out freely, taking note of the slight look of horror that crossed the hanyou's face. He was not the only one to take note of it, he mused as he saw Sesshoumaru raise a brow at his half brother's antics from the corner of his eye.

Inuyasha jutted his chin out arrogantly as he remarked. "Feh, yeah right, you'd probably get yourself killed before you even reached the doors… weak human." He grumbled under his breath, as he moved to lean against the wall once more.

Snatching up the document, amber eyes moved from the two useless from occupying up more space in his office with a cold icy glare that would have likely frozen hell over. "Get out of my office." He ordered softly, or as soft a steel being bared. The resemblance of sound caused a chill to run down the hanyou's spine as he wordlessly fallowed the monk from his half brother's abode and out into the hall. The night was going to be a long one.

**__**

**_S_**queezing the hand written letter within her fist tightly, hearing the paper crinkle as it was forced into a ball was not near enough satisfying to her raising temper. Already her eyes have searched the sea of faces as they searched out their lockers, gossiping to those that walked beside them, or wandering about aimlessly as they waited for classes to begin. Less then half of these faces were recognizable to her from classes they shared. Did the idiot listen at all to her when she complained about her life of solitude behind the walls of school? Or was it that he was simply foolish enough to believe that she could find two faceless student out of the thousands that attend Hiroshima High? She had their names, but that was next to useless. The fool didn't think it was necessary to have them wait in the office for her, or so they say, considering it was the secretary that allowed for them to fend for themselves in a place the knew nothing of.

So maybe the monk wasn't all to blame, but in the end she would be doing just that.

With a sigh of frustration, Sango decided to retrace her steps and see if she could find the two she was suppose to be helping find their way. She was unsure of what she would do with the girl… the one that may hold the monk's heart in her hands. Not that she truly cared or anything, but Miroku was her savior, and… she was extremely jealous. She had been in love with him for many years, though she doubted he would ever return her feelings she did not think that she would be able to bare the sight of he did. Even if this girl did not love the monk, nor he her, she still did not think a friendship could be forged between them. Once she caught wind of the rumors drifting from the mouths of others about her, he doubted if the girl would even wish to be in her presence for long.

A shout caught her attention causing her to turn unbidden to see what the commotion was all about.

"How dare you!" A male voice shouted in indignant rage. "Do you think that you can just grab my sister like that!? For that fact, any woman at all!" Sango was more then a little stunned when her eyes met the sight of a boy no more then eleven years of age yelling the schools play boy Kouga. Not only was he demon, but worked for Sesshoumaru as she did, but where she was assassin, he was a mole… but that did not mean he could not tear the human boy to shreds if the time called for it. _The boy is brave_, she observed silently.

Kouga shoved the kid into the older girl behind him, snorting diversely. "I can do whatever I like kid, and there's nothing that a weakling like you can do to stop me." He taunted.

The boy moved back from the girl, whispering something that went unheard by her ears as he checked her over; most likely for any injuries that might have transgressed from being shoved into her roughly. Seeming satisfied he turned back to Kouga, only to have the girl stop him from moving forward. "Souta he's not worth it." The girl told him soothingly, but loud enough that all could hear. Sango's eyes widened briefly; they were the ones she was to be guarding for Miroku.

Her brows drew down as a scowl marked her features, she would have to put a stop to this before Kouga ended up hurting one of them and ultimately causing her to fail in her new assignment. As the wolf moved, muscles bunching up underneath the schools uniform of a white button down shirt and black slacks, Sango acted. "Kouga don't you dare take on more step!" She ordered as she forced her way through the crowed that had built up around them.

Being a demon in disguise he had caught the demand, and stopped shooting a glare in her general direction. "Oh yeah, and who are you to tell me what to do?" He questioned, taking a step back staring her down as if he expected a physical type of attack. From past experiences with the exterminator, Kouga wouldn't put it past her to lash out at him.

She eyed his tense form with a slow rising smirk forming upon her lips, she would keep this information away for latter observation. "Because she's under Miroku's protection." She announced softly, the words were only for his ears as they would do nothing but confuse the students of this school and tip of those that work for the agencies of their existence.

He snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest now that it became apparent a fight was not in his coming at his heels for the moment. "And is there a reason I should care?" His pale blue eyes looked to the two watching curiously behind her, before returning to her own. The majority of the student body had returned to their earlier dealings once they realized a fight was not in their midst, the ones that stay were the gossipers hopping for a good story to share later at lunch or perhaps in between classes.

"Because Kouga that means they are under the protection of the Shikaku brother's as well, you know that, don't play stupid with me." Sango chastised harshly, her eyes boring into his own unflinching. "You come near them again in a threatening manner then both of the brothers will do nothing to stop Miroku when he demand retribution." She warned, turning her back to him and facing her charges wide-eyed expressions. She marched forward hooking both of her arms through theirs and leading them away from the wolf youkai. Sango released them of her hold once she assured herself that they would fallow her. "Do not go near him again, I don't think Miroku will be very pleased if you do."

"Why?" The boy at her right queried, curiosity lighting up his brown eyed gaze.

"Because Miroku won't like it." Was her reply as if it were the most reasonable answer in the world, one that should not be questioned. He shot her a searching look, before nodding and turning his line of sight to the ground in front of him. Sango cast a look to her left, oddly enough the girl hadn't spoken one word in her presence. Didn't she even have the slightest bit of curiosity as her brother? How was she to know what to make of the girl if she never spoke to her? Clicking her tongue she decided to offer up her name and see where that got her. "I'm Sango."

Her eyes were watching the girl, but her required answers came from the boy. Of course she already knew their names, and thus was a bit perturbed when Kagome -as the boy told, as she already knew- did not answer. She gave up on the idea of conversation for the mean time as she lead the two to their prospective classes. First she had demanded to see their class schedules, and once again the list -both of them- were narrated from the boy, Souta's lips.

The entire day consisted of carting them around, showing them to classes and explaining the rules of the school; both those of the principle and of the students own making. Those students being the ones consider the 'in crowd. Sango could not understand how Miroku could be with such a melancholy girl. Kagome was utterly depressing to be around, she did not smile, she did not speak and she did not look in her direction, preferring to keep her gaze firmly to the ground. She could just not picture the two of them together, nor could she see Miroku actually having a good time in this girl's presence. Maybe she was being a little to judgmental on their first meeting considering that the girl may just be shy in a new place, that and the fact that it was possible Kagome and her savior are perhaps romantically involved. The thought hurt more then a little.

Clutching the strap of her backpack in brutal hold, Sango could silently rejoice in the fact that school was over and she could return to her shadowed life. The life of the assassin. She would sit at home awaiting her orders of the next life she would lay to rest, she would meld and become one with the dark of night and hunt as her boss bid her to. It was not the ideal profession, but it was better then the alias of Sango, the high school senior; the freak. At least, due to her supposed eccentric nature, that is what her peers seem to think; to whisper in the halls like a strongly guarded secret. It depressed and sickened her, that a human being could act so coldly to another… even if it wasn't as bad as being in the orphanage. She would take the abuse of the students she walked the halls with daily to the abuse the employees of orphanage caused to her.

Banishing the depressing thoughts from her mind as if they were not more then dust upon her weaponry, Sango continued on her way in silence both on the outside as well as in. It was the familiar pressure upon her backside that gave her pause that soon lead to what had become her instinctual reaction to such a violation of her personal space.

Her hand caught in a grip just centimeters from her target was very unexpected, and she felt an unfamiliar feeling well up in her chest just to the point of choking her. It was a mix between dislike for this person and bitterness. She was an assassin, it was her job to catch others unaware and do away with their lives! She herself was not suppose to be caught in such a way; it was dishonoring to her position. The dislike she felt earlier soon gave way to unbearable hatred as her cinnamon gaze found itself in a heated match with her savior's… girl.

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Guilt dominated her mind as she recalled the days advents, her brother having to speak for her as she blatantly refused to answer for herself. That girl Sango, she must have made a terrible impression on the girl seeing how she cast her odd glances heavy with something she could just not quite identify. Kagome was sure that it had to do with the crummy attitude that a been so ingrained upon her that she could not muster enough force of will to lift it.

She had felt oddly empty that morning and it only escalated causing her visage to mirror the strong depression this feeling left within her. It was an emotion that she could not quite master at the moment no matter how hard she tried to convince this un-quelling sensation of its nihility in her life, it was not having it and thus deeper rooted itself into her heart. The whole day she did not smile, nor did she laugh or talk with another living soul besides a few word that were mandatory here and there. She knew that Souta had to be more then a little worried with her behavior, she did not believe her little brother had ever seen her with out at least a slight smile to her face. He had definitely had never seen her with the dead look that she new must have over taken her eyes.

School had let out minutes ago and she had been wandering aimlessly lost in her thoughts; she was looking for her brother or at lest hoping that he would catch her drifting by. She would have to apologize to this Sango later for her grotesque behavior towards her throughout the day. If she were to go by the words she managed to pick up earlier that day, when the man she called Kouga copped a feel from her, the girl was a friend of Miroku's. It would not do to be uncivil towards one of her brother's friends, and hopefully the girl was more then just that.

He was in terrible need of one, not only because of an incident that happened years back, but also so that he would no longer have such a pathetic excuse to behave the way the he would at times. Though ever since their talk -one that had thoroughly scared the hell out of him- her aniki never used such practices in front of her again. Then when you tell your older brother that his not so virtuous habits could lead to the selling of her own body because the hands of brother -a man she greatly admired- degraded woman constantly and thus ones virginity could not be entirely to important that one would need to wait until marriage to lose it… he tied those hands down quite literally in the presence of the opposite sex. Remembering the horrified look upon her brother's face that day caused her to laugh outright, and therein scaring a few peers and teachers that passed her by.

"Kagome!"

Pausing in her steps, she slowly turned to peer over her shoulder, her brows drawing up in slight surprise before the first smile that day formed upon her lips. "An-" She paused momentarily as she realized she had almost yelled out big brother, and instead covered her mistake by voicing his name as he came nearer. "Miroku… why are you here?" Kagome queried, and though she tried to force it from interlacing with her words, the curiosity in her voice was very apparent. It made him smile largely, which also cause a slight twitch to her lips as well. It would seem the empties that took a hold of her so firmly was relenting enough so that she would be able to please her brother with smiles and actually enjoy his company without causing worry to his heart like she had to Souta's.

"To see you of course, why else would I be back in school." He responded as if the mere thought of being in the place caused him complete and utter disgust.

Kagome titled he head slightly to the side as she studied him, finally she said. "I though you liked school."

"Not enough to return." His eyes then looked to either side of her before returning. "Where are Souta and Sango, I thought she was…" he trailed as his violet gaze caught sight of something, Kagome narrowed her eyes in confusion as he stumbled forward in an almost-trance like daze. Her brows drew up in shock as she watched his hand come forward and rub Sango's behind as if it were a lover lost.

She really should have let the flat palm smack some sense into her brother for attempting something so foolish, but it was that sisterly instinct that made her react as she had. Her eyes met that of the woman whom showed her around the school, the one she mad a promise to herself to acquaint herself with later. If her brother was going to risk 'tainting' his sister after their conversation all those years ago, then obviously this girl was more then a pretty face to him and thus it was her duty to get to know this girl better. She had to see if this Sango was right for her brother. "I would appreciate it if you did not hit m-Miroku." She had almost said brother once more. "And you!" Her voice took on a stern note as she whirled around to face Miroku. "I thought we've been through this before! Do you really want to corrupt me with your show of voyeurism?" She inquired pointedly.

His eyes widened, and his face twisted into one of horror. "You would truly exact that type of revenge upon me if I do not stop." He swallowed, her face hardened as she nodded sharply. "Fine, but you do realize that time is running short, I need to…" He trailed, his violet irises darkening with a forbiddance that brought an unease to all with in feet of himself.

"I know…" she mumbled softly. "And I told you that we'd find a cure for it, you don't need to find any random woman to do it for you." She reached over and embraced him, from the corner of her left eye she could see the fierce glower Sango was sending her way and decided to mend and heal the animosity that was developing in the girl's heart for her. "Your like a brother to me and Souta, I would hate for you to give up now that your all we have left…"

****

The silence permeated the heated conversation that Inuyasha had been privy too. He had time to waste while he waited for the nighttime to roll around and since Sango happened to have been at school, Sesshoumaru sent him on a task being that he was the only one nearby that was free for the day. At this moment Inuyasha's amber orbs focused in on the man on the right as he smoked his cigarette, before flicking the butt off into the distance. The man that he shared the argument with had left not but seconds ago, and the hanyou only waited for the right moment to strike.

He walked along the rafters of the warehouse right above his targets head, and once he was positive to be directly over him, Inuyasha let himself drop. His legs absorbed the shock of the fall, and stood straightening himself only find that he was almost eye to eye with his query. A feral grin filtered across his lips, only for it to widen further as the man stumbled backwards.

"Wh-who a-are you m-man?" His target stumbled over his words in a pathetic high pitched stutter.

That's right, Inuyasha had forgotten to put his human guise in place before confronting this human. Perhaps he would think he had met the devil before coming into his death. "Did you think that we wouldn't find out?" He catechized, deadly soft as his booted feet brought him a step or two closer.

"F-find out w-what?"

Snorting his amusement as his eyes flashed dangerously at the scent of fear that overwhelmed his sense the hanyou said menacingly. "You know what I'm talking about…" he hissed. "In fact you were planning upon doing it again, it's why your here." Inuyasha took one more step as the human, he could hear his heart beat a marathon in his chest, stumbled backwards. "Is a few yen more important then the lives of the children your drugs' stole…?"

Backing up into a metal wall, the human coward. "I-I don't sale d-drugs." He denied fiercely, with a rough shake of his head.

Backhanding him, Inuyasha grabbed the collar of his shirt, lifting him into the a few feet, before slamming him into the metal of the warehouse. The demon in him found satisfaction in the scream the erupted from the weakling of human's throat. "You lie." He stated plainly. "You should know better then to mess with the Shikaku brother's, especially when we say something that is expected to be fallowed." Inuyasha took in a deep breath to calm himself, only to find it heating his blood even more. The smell of his fear was so thick that the demon in him struggled for dominance so that it could not he pleasure of ripping his prey asunder by his bare claws. His eyes flashed once more.

"I-I-"

"Silence!" The hanyou growled lowly as he allowed for the human to fall to the floor with a resounding thud. That too brought satisfaction to the youkai within. "It's time to die, I see it as a fitting punishment for the countless lives you've taken." With that Inuyasha pulled the gun from his side and pulled the trigger, watching as his demon demanded. The bullet entered through the area of the heart, blood soaking the gray shirt of his prey immediately as he fell lifelessly the rest of the way to the ground. Eyes bore listlessly into nothing as blood trailed the corners of his mouth. The hanyou turned from the gruesome scene, already pulling his phone from his jacket pocket and dialing up the number for the clean up crew. "There's body at warehouse five at the Westside of Kyoto, be sure to do a through cleaning. We can't have blood showing up when the cops come to call." He hung up and exited, hurrying on his way to meet Miroku for their trip to see the spider.

****

The slight wind created from her two and fro movements upon the swing cooled the tears upon her cheeks to ice. It wasn't as if it were exactly summer any longer, in fact it was nearing December and the days were quick chill. The short sleeved shirt and thin pants adorning her body did nothing to keep the chill out. She thought as more tears fell silently. She knew that her grandfather had been old, but she had not expected him to die so soon, nor for it to be in the middle of the night, before she could even wish him well.

It hurt extravagantly when she realized that she had not seen her grandfather in months…

"Why is such a pretty girl as yourself crying out her all alone?" A male voice inquired. Looking up, she found herself to be staring into cinnamon brown eyes attached to head of long dark hair pulled together at the nape of the mans neck. He looked to be very gentle, if she were to go by his eyes, and he was clothed in a wool trench coat, gloves and thick black pants. She was envious of the warmth he must feel at the moment.

"Who are you?" She blurted out, and immediately felt stupid.

He chuckled a bit, but did not answer her question, and instead pulled the trench coat from his body and held it out for her to either reject or accept. "Take it, your cold." Was his simple reply, and before she could push the coat back from her a refusal at the edge of her lips; the mystery man added. "You don't shiver when your not cold, and besides I have this nice wool sweater to keep me warm. I don't need this." He dropped the coat in her lap causing Rin to blush slightly.

Placing her arms through the sleeves before pulling the side tightly around her frame, she mumbled a shy. "Thank you." Besides Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and Sango she really had no other human contact besides her family and that had left her insecure in the presence of strangers. There was Miroku and Kagura as well, but she couldn't really count them seeing as the monk was not allowed alone with her and the wind sorceress no longer pays her any mind. Her family only consisted of a mother and grandfather, but he's now passed on and her father left when she was around the age of three.

He smiled softly, watching her a moment before moving around to sit in the swing besides her own. "So why were you crying early?" He queried once more turning to face her as he kept her eyes focused upon the hands tightly clasped in her lap. "It might help you to talk about it." He encouraged softly.

Nodding her agreement, she sat silent a moment. "I… my grandfather, he… passed away last night and… I haven't seen him for months." Were her faintly spoken words, words that he had to strain to hear. "I didn't even get to say goodbye." She told him, her voice laden with misery.

"What was the last memory you and he shared?" She looked at him from the corner of her eye and took note that he sat cross-legged upon the swing, hands clutching at the chains while he swayed slightly with the wind. His dark brown gaze upon her as; waiting. "Well? It might help…" He trailed off, his tone told her that he was only trying to be helpful.

She brought her eyes from her lap to the cloud filled sky. The sun was setting over the horizon, causing the clouds to be warm colored, the fading light outlining them in a bright glow. It almost matched the one in her last moments with her grandfather, only then the sun was rising, switching from darkness to day. Her mother and grandfather moved to Hawaii when all of this begun, with her refusing to fallow them. She would not leave her brothers in every way but blood when they needed her most. Sesshoumaru had been kind enough to set them up with a house along the beach.

There was porch that faced the ocean in which her mother bought a porch-swing to decorate it, it was where she and her grandfather had sat, watching the sun slowly rise over the ocean. The sea water had reflected the warm colors of the slowly brightening day and the moon vanished from the sky along with stars of night. She had given him her present then being that she had to leave in an hour, it had been his seventy- fifth birthday and her 'brother's' had shipped her off to Hawaii to celebrate such an event with him. Her gift to him had been a ship in a bottle, to which he told her was the greatest gift he had ever received. She had chosen as she had when a memory struck her, a room filled with boats in bottles of all sizes and makings. It was the room he had stored his collection in, a collection in which he had began at the tender age of ten.

The hour had passed and she had to leave, their separation ended with a tender embrace, and a softly spoken I love you. There had also been words of another visit spoken between them in the months to come, preferably in the winter around thanksgivings day. It would never come now….

Still, the memory the that morning brought a soft smile to her lips. After a moment longer she replied to his earlier question. "We were out by the ocean watching the sun rise… It was his birthday and I had gotten him a boat in a bottle, he told me it was best gift he had ever received." Her soft voice cut through the silence. "Before I had to leave he hugged him telling me that he loved and I responded in kind. We talked for a while longer… and then I left." The memory, it left her oddly at peace and gave her a feeling of calm. Though her grandfather's death still pained her immensely, she felt as if though a weight was lifted from her shoulders.

The stranger beside her smile, laughing softly as he turned to gaze at the sunset. "That sounds like a wonderful memory." His voice a soft baritone. "Don't you feel better now?" He inquired, sending her a sideways look that held a bit of concern.

How could a stranger have concern for some one that he didn't even know? She shook her head of the thoughts, and nodded her head to his question, her gaze still on the purples and oranges of the sunset. "Yes."

"Good." He stood from the swing and took a few steps not facing her. "Then I'm glad." He took another step, never once turning towards her. "I need to go now, you can keep the coat." He told her, his footfalls sounding softly as he got slowly farther from her and before she could open her mouth in protest he said. "If you feel guilty about it, then bring it back here tomorrow or even the next day, it doesn't matter, but you'll be cold on the way home without it and I won't be." He then continued on his way.

Rin watched as he disappeared from sight. _I forgot to get his name…_ She lamented sadly.

**A/N:** Sorry that it took so long for this update it was really frustrating cause at first I couldn't think of how to begin this chapter and then I deleted it by accident twice. I hope that it came out well enough despite this tragedy…. Please read and review! Thank you!

**Thank you so very much to all my reviewers out there! I'd likely be living behind a bank one or fry's grocery store if it weren't for you guys! Err… wait a second… I'm not getting paid for this! Okay… well… then this story wouldn't be as far as it is without your lovely complements and suggestions… there that's better **


	9. Charms

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Inuyasha!

**_Hidden Beneath a Smile_**

**_Chapter Nine:_** Charms

_**S**_itting upon the carpeted ground of his top floor office, he stared out the wall high windows in a trance-like state. Nothing but calm and the sound of rain pelting the world outside permeated the dreary-like atmosphere created for himself. Here in times like these he was almost able to forget the many grievances that plagued him throughout life, it was usually this reason he blew up at those that disturbed his peace time. For once a man came through that door and spoke words for his ears to hear, this atmosphere shattered like glass coming to contact with stone. Everything came back to him in a rush leaving him with nothing but a feeling of emptiness.He held no remembrances for who he was exactly, and he could not bring himself to believe the personality his boss, his… grandfather claimed for him to hold. Somehow finding the will to believe that he was a cold and heartless killing machine that founded this… endeavor they were fallowing through with. He was gentle, though he tried to command with stern hand and a ruthless grace… it rarely, if ever, worked. He could hear those of whom worked for him and for his 'grandfather' -for some reason that man bearing such a title from his lips sounded wrong-, whispering negativities towards him. Some of which remained confusing to his mind, and other such words causing him to hold a false face in their presence. It was difficult to be so cruel, to… kill without mercy when the time called for it.

Sighing as he moved to lie upon his back, dark brown eyes continuing to watch the outside world through rain blurred windows. He wanted his past back, he wanted to truly remember the type of person he strived to be, the goals he set for himself, the dreams he held in his heart. He wanted all of these precious tangibility's back into his memories once more.

It might not have been so difficult had he not been fifteen when this loss occurred. A whole childhood in the dark, a mother he could not remember; one that died supposedly when he was at the age of eight. A father that was supposedly assassinated for his strong beliefs. A belief that he himself took over; all of it is said to be true. His first memorable birthday, or Christmas, his first friend… all of it was shadowed in a pool of darkness. No matter how much he searched for the light-switch, it seemed as if he would never find it. Not only that, he had lost a year and half to a coma that his heavy injuries had placed him under. Apparently he was tricked into walking into a trap set by the Shikaku brother's and found himself in an exploding house… or so his grandfather says.

Pushing the disconcerting thoughts aside, he lost himself for hours more in the calming effect a stormy night had upon his soul.

"Laying upon the floor when you have a perfectly good chair to sit in again, I see." A withered voice croaked to him from his office's entrance. In pictures he had been shown of this man's earlier years, one would say for him to be tall, with a boyish charm compared to his short stout figure and weathered looks. What once had been dusty brown locks died away to a lighten gray, and where there was once a perfect set of teeth that swooned a many women in those days were all but falling from their gums in decay. The man was too stubborn to see a dentist for this problem, but then again that was how his grandfather is.

He did not turn to greet his grandfather and instead remained where he was, eyes glued to the window seeming to be in a trance, as if he did not know of his presence there despite the words that broke through the silence. His serene atmosphere. This, however, was not the case as he deemed the older man a response. "I can find my thoughts better down here, then in that… thing." His words were solemn, claiming in their tones to be of little emotion. It was how he had to be around… them. It was the truth, though the chair may have been of expensive qualities, it had nothing in the ways of comfort and thus any chance he was able he would refuse to use if for it's purposes; besides, you could not see entirely the skies overhead all that clear from that high comfort steeling seat. "Is there a reason for your presence here, grandfather." Again the word seemed to foreign to his tongue, as though it was not meant to pass from his lips for that man. _If I had my memories with me now, such feelings as this would not exist in me. _He bemoaned the emptiness caused by this word in his heart.

"That is no way to greet your grandfather." The man scolded in light tones. "The Shikaku brother's have been silent as of late, it has me worried." In the next breath he was all business, that little line, those few spoken words in such a tone was the only warmth he could receive from the man. It was in these instances that he could almost believe that he too held little warmth to him before the accident. Yet, he stuck to the belief created within his heart that he was more like his mother, a caring and gentles soul that stood beside him through anything and everything. That was how it had to be, and the rest of the world that claimed remembrance of him were mistaken.

"And what would you have me do about it?" He queried tonelessly, brown eyes never trailing from their original line of sight. He would be cold towards the elder man, just like what was expected of him least he received another lecture on being too emotional. It was foolishness, the lectures, as even when emotion seeped through his carefully erected façade, it was nothing more then a knife at a dying man's back. Slip of surprise fell into expression before nothing but emptiness glimmer across the still face. It was only smidgen of what he kept buried deep down within his very heart and soul.

"This is your venture grandson, don't forget that! If you wish it not to fail then I suggest you have them fallowed or something to get an idea, at least, of what they're planning against us." The elder coolly retorted as slow and careful steps brought him to his grandson's side. Dark shadowed eyes narrowed upon a face the spared him naught more then a half-listening ear. "Now get up off this filthy floor and sit in a chair like the class-act male you are and not some beggar off the streets." He added in harsh tones that drew no visible reaction from him. Within he cringed heavily, all of his muscles tensing. Was he truly born to such a family that held not even drop of care for the other that they could not be emotive to the other without consequence? It seemed that way…

"Send two of the seven brothers and then get out of my office grandfather." He growled, ignoring the deplorable added words to the elders remarks. "Before you leave to tend to this, be sure to inform them that if they are caught punishment is heavy." Those words were spoken with heavily concealed reluctance. He despised this cruelty he had to exult on those that failed, those that disobeyed, those that disrespected and so on. His grandfather insisted that he would receive no respect of those who worked for him if he did not bare a strong fist upon them. Though he disagreed, he did not head down another path and instead fallowed through with this…

Hearing the door slam shut behind his grandfather caused him to sigh in relief. Emotion filled his face and muscles slackened from their tense stance, he lost himself once more to the trance the rain pulled his willing body into.

**_T_**hough the day had started out rather badly, it had proceeded to make itself more enjoyable for her. It was obvious this was unacceptable seeing as how horribly her day had ended. Her brother having visited her brought a smile to her face and she really thought all would go well, it was not to be so. It wasn't so much that Sango gave her the cold shoulder after the incident between them, it would also seem she did not hear the words she had spoken to Miroku.

They had decided to head toward a café to better know one another, it would prove to be a mistake. She herself felt they had been acting in a brotherly/sisterly manner, but it was obvious the other woman did see it that way being she accused them in rather loud tones of sleeping together. Souta had retched up his meal gagging up storm, while the other patrons stared at them with prying eyes hopping for their ears to feast upon the latest gossip even if the subjects were not known to them.

With a hesitant glance around Sango dropped the her accusation, blushing right along with the rest of them. It's more then obvious through the girl's jealous behavior that she had a crush, quite possibly more then that, for her brother and yet he remained blissfully unaware. How was she to make friends with her brother's possible lover if this Sango girl was constantly eying her in fear she planned to take Miroku away from her…?

This however was not the worst of the day, it was merely the beginning in a chain of events.

The rest of meal enveloped into uneasy silence and ended so as well. After paying the meal the four found themselves traveling down the streets of Kyoto. Each person walking extremely uncomfortable with this air transferring for a few moments to those that passed them. They barely noticed the passerby's casting them cautious glance as they gave a wide breath for this group to walk, not one person wanting to be in the presence of such awkwardness. Kagome would have preferred this uneasiness that filled the spaces between them to the tension that Sango replaced it with due to Kagome tumbling them both to ground after tripping over her untied shoe lace. There was reason other then to keep your shoe upon your foot for them to be tied.

Yet, still, more happened.

Only halfway towards home, her brother had been called away to duty. His partner needed him to work on their cases together. She new that being apart of the CIA was quite taxing and took the majority of ones time, but did he have to leave now? When it was just her, the youngest of the three siblings and a woman that was likely imagining all forms of torture to the girl she thought to be stealing Miroku away from her. Just the thought of doing something of the like sent waves of revulsion coursing throughout her entire body nearly sending her careening into a bad case of nausea. The older boy was her brother for goodness sake! Not that Sango knew that, but still… she did, and it wasn't pleasant.

Occasionally she would catch Souta sending her reassuring smiles, but only after sighting some frightening death glares directed her way from none other then Sango, herself. The rest of the walk was completed in silence despite her little brother's attempts at a decent conversation.

Shoving all thoughts of the day to the furthest recesses of her mind, Kagome set a course to her bedroom from the balcony she had been lounging in, playing events over and over again bringing her into this depressed state. Swinging the door shut, her light brown eyes took in the two bags and briefcase she managed to take with her the day Miroku brought them to this place… this safe-haven away from the danger that found them at… home. She missed her home, but more importantly she missed the deceased members of her family to an even greater extent.

A few more steps saw her to the foot of her bed where these bags resided. It was about time she unpacked them, as much as she did want to solidify the fact that she was truly here in this situation… that everything that went on thus far was real. She dragged the suite case forward to her knees and flipped the lid open…

After having seen to the putting away of her clothing, or what little clothes she was able to shove into the suite case, Kagome reached over and grabbed the first bag her had came into contact with. Dumping it's contains with great care upon her beige carpeted floor, reaching into the pile her hand moved forward to fix her jewelry box upright. She never wore much besides the occasional trinket made by her hands, or perhaps something picked up from the local store, something cheep, made of metal and painted to look gold or perhaps silver. She didn't really have anything of great… value… her eyes widened considerably as they caught a familiar chain trying to blend itself into her plush carpet.

A trembling hand moved with a tremendous effort to grasp the silver link chain within its grip, the silver chain shaking with every unsteady movement her hand underwent, bringing it right before her watering eyes. Brown eyes traveled downward to the two dangling charms, two silver people holding hands.

"Daddy!" A joyous voice crowed, and not long after the body of a child flew with impossible speeds toward the figure gradually climbing up the shrine steps; leaping into his arms as they opened welcoming her in his warm embrace. "You're home!" She had been watching from the window near the door for any signs of his presence. Snow danced lightly along breeze as a ballerina might upon an open stage, it was Christmas and this would be the first day in weeks that he has had off from the office. He would actually be able to spend this Christmas with them, and all occupants of this warm home rejoiced in this fact and wished nothing more then too have a wonderful holiday with the man considering he had missed the last one.

Once her toes touched the ground, Kagome had her father's hand with in her much smaller one leading him the rest of the way into the door. The moment the door was open her little voice shouted out to her mother that her father was home, he laughed and brought her up into his arms; carrying her the rest of the way as she giggled along with him. As they came into the living room where the brightly and beautifully decorated tree lay, underneath it were a myriad of nicely wrapped gifts.

It was tradition to open a few gifts before dinner and then rest afterwards, and on Christmas day they would open everything given to them by Santa Clause. The excitement of it all was building in her chest, making her a bit more hyper then usual, now that her father was home they would get to open the first set of gifts! Upon seeing her brother Miroku, she ran towards his much taller form giving him a squeezing hug as she wished him a Merry Christmas. Her aniki returned the hug along with well wishing of his own.

Kagome closed her eyes against the wave of utter sadness that nearly sent her stumbling from her knees as the memory flashed before her eyes, fisting her hand in the material of her shirt of above her steadily beating heart. Right before the next Christmas after the place in time this memory took her father was killed, or at least he disappeared as they have to find his body.

Kagome handed Souta the gift she had made for him in fourth grade class, it was a hand made teddy bear, a mother from one of the students had come in and shown them how to do such a craft. She made one for every member of the family. The five year old boy clamored over to the girl, giving her a sloppy kiss upon her cheek. "Thank you, 'Gome!" He then went back to his place upon their mother's lap. Kagome smiled at him, telling him that he was welcome.

The night was alive with laughter, excitement and warmth, there hugs and kisses as well with kind words. It was a night to remember, one to treasure. Never before had they been closer as a family, what with the daily demands of live taking up all of their time and leaving very little for anything else.

Smaller hands took an equally small gift from her father, light brown eyes looking at it curiously. She knew, from it's size, that it had to be jewelry… the question was, exactly what type. Carefully she tore the gold wrap from the small box shaped gift, folding the beautiful paper a small square to keep. Lifting the lid her eyes widened the contains pulling a small gasp from her throat. Her father sat there grinning up a storm well the rest of the family leaned forward to see such a present that got such a reaction from the little girl. Her hand slowly drew the silver link chain from inside the box, bringing it forward for all curious eyes to gaze upon. She lifted the necklace higher so that she could see better the pendant that hung from the chain.

Two carved into a heart holding hands, it was obvious one was the father and the other the daughter from the size and look of the other. It came quite a shock when she realized that it was pure silver, she had never received something so expensive before, something so grown up. A feeling of pride began to well up in her chest with the knowledge that it was all hers. That no one else her age would own such a spectacular trinket. Catching the pendant with her other hand, she flipped it over to see the back, the words engraved upon it when her father pointed out such a feature.

"Merry Christmas, Kagome… Love, Dad." She read out loud. Hopping up from her seat near Miroku, she stumbled past the gift wrap and cast aside boxes over to her father in order to give him a hug. "Thank you so much daddy, I love it!"

"I knew you would."

Taking the chain over her head, she placed her most valuable gift around her neck, allowing for the chain to fall leaving the pendant to lay upon the middle of her chest. She stood swiftly, using her legs to elevate her off of the ground, she walked over to her bed, plopping herself down carelessly. Her right hand came to wipe the tears from her eyes before they slid down her cheeks, before coming to grip the pendant in her hand for comfort.

This gift was made by her father's own two hands and nothing she own would ever be so important to her as this. When he was younger his own dad was a jeweler, making some of the most exquisite designs ever seen. She had never expected to receive something so magnificently wonderful from him on the night before Christmas. Having it was like still having some part of her father. It was a comfort to be able to hold it close to her heart, and she had nearly forgotten it was there, that she had taken it with her. It would have been a godsend to have been able to wear it the first days she had to live away from home, to have the comforting thought of her father close at hand… even if he truly was not there.

Soon she drifted off into the music that blared in the background, that had swallowed up her small sniffles and quiet cries.

_**N**_odding to Miroku, Inuyasha fell into step with him, his eyes staring strait ahead, no speech passing from his lips. It would seem, to him anyways, that the hanyou was having the same difficulties as he himself had on his way to this meeting spot, or more to the point that he had after leaving Kagome and Souta. That was when he noticed it at least, though it could have been from before hand and in that case he was a little on edge. Would his siblings be in danger now? Now that they were seen with him, a known associate of Sesshoumaru, and Sango, his known assassin, would they be safe from enemy hands for long? These thoughts did not sit well with him, and it would seem his partner began to notice seeing the look he tossed to him from the sides of his eyes.

"Let me guess, you had a problem with that broad again?" He questioned loud enough for all in the surrounding area to hear before tossing his head in the general direction of where their current hindrances had caught up with the other and were now trying to deftly trail after them.

Miroku sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, my friend, she can't lie to save her life and so basically I saw through her schemes this time around." He was then aware of the two separating again, each trailing from the other side of the street. Apparently these problems seemed to think they'd have a better chance at it if they kept apart. What fools they were, the hanyou inwardly scoffed.

Grunting his agreement, Inuyasha answered. "Know what you mean, I've got the same problems."

Gasping scandalized the monk placed a hand upon his heart crying out in over played drama. "Here I thought the girl was a one man woman and here your are telling me you've gotten a taste of her bountiful fruit!" Smacking him upside the head and growling for him to shut it up, the hanyou walked ahead a tad bit. Miroku obviously choosing ignore such words from his temperamental friend said. "Alas it would seem she was even better at playing the game then I myself seeing as she had me falling into her wondrous enchantment, fooling me with her enticing charms. To think that I had believed her when she adamantly refused to have sampled my dog demon partner!"

Slowing his steps a bit, Inuyasha smacked him upside the head once more. "Shut your mouth, that isn't… you know what it isn't!" He cried in vexation. Those line that the monk was feeding him had nothing to do with neither of their normal routines for such an occurrence and it was drilling on his nerves to no end. If he started it one more time, it would not be the intended targets that need to fear the crass of his claws but the man walking beside him.

Placing his hands in front of himself in a placating manner, the monk quickly replied. "I know, I know, we'll just have to speak of you stealing my woman right out from under me later." Those his tone was assuaging his words were most certainly not. They had the hanyou's right eye twitching in barely conceal irritation.

"Tch, lets just get to where we're to suppose to be going already!" He snapped impatiently as they rounded the corner, heading towards the complete opposite direction they were suppose to be traveling in. He was anxious to find himself in the throws of a fight, hopefully one that would be a little more entertaining then his last scuffle. The last being an assassination assignment due to the fact that Sango was at school there was supposedly no one else qualified to handle it. Inuyasha translated these words from Sesshoumaru's mouth as 'this is the newest way I thought of to completely tick you off without being to obvious.' He snorted at the thoughts in his head.

"Impatient, are we." Miroku commented, amusement lacing his words. In truth he was a bit glad that they were nearly close the one of the planned routes to dealing with such trailing scum, and was even more so when the warehouse they were aiming towards came into sight. The only answer he got from the hanyou was a snort. Nonplused, the monk said. "We're here now so quite your complaining."

Clawed hands tossing back the doors as amber eyes whipped to burn Miroku with their most withering glare, the hanyou growled in low tones. "I'm not, nor have I ever been, complaining."

Miroku passed by him to walk inside only to pause after taking only two steps, violet orbs slid to the side in order to glance back at his partner. "Not verbally, no, but your entire body language screams that you are." He then disappeared into the darkness, leaving an angrily sputtering hanyou behind him.

With one last curse at the damned monk, Inuyasha cast one quick glance around. Enough to tell him that their intended targets were watching the from behind the nearest building near the trash cans. Likely as a ploy to hide their scents; fools. Such an act would work on any other nose, but it could never fool an inu's, especially not his. A faint smirk crossed his face as he, himself, ducked into the darkened entrance leaving the door open in case a couple trackers decided to fallow them in.

He dearly hoped they decided to fallow, it'd be no fun if they lost them that easily.

**_D_**ark brown eyes that softened in concern, a gentle smile and long dark locks that fell to his shoulders, pulled back at the nape of neck. This image, these details, she could not get them to leave her mind. Not since she had seen the man, the one she had not gotten the name of, the one that had helped to chase away the sadness that had been consuming her heart from the moment she heard the news of her grandfather. It was maddening to think about as it was placating when his eyes or smile came to mind.

She shook the images from her head, this worried her like nothing else. When she had returned Sesshoumaru had asked where she had been… she didn't lie exactly, she just emitted some of the details of her day. To keep his thought pattern from turning to suspicion of her story she told him of her grandfather's death and immediately felt guilty for using him in such away.

Rin moved to lie upon her side in her bed, hoping that this position would help her to sleep better. It did nothing, and her mind was more alive then ever. She needed to see that man one more time, only to get his name and to quiet his image in her head so that she was able to find herself some sleep.

**_Q_**uiet breathing was all that he could hear, and it was nothing that a human could detect with such dulls senses and thus he was not all to worried about it. He sat perched in the rafters while Miroku took to the safer route and stood hidden behind a gated wall, his form hidden by the large stack of boxes that took up the space in front of it.

Inuyasha grinned, his inner demon coming to life with the promise of a hunt underway. He dropped the pebble to ground to alert the monk of their hindrances' presence within the building they decided to use for this… stake out, he guessed one would call it. Though it was nothing like what a cop would perform. Mercy was not an option to those that decided to mess in the affairs of the society, especially when the one messed with was Sesshoumaru. There was a barely even a hand full of men that were foolhardy enough to attempt such a blatant act of suicide.

As Inuyasha tackled his prey in to the ground he could distantly hear the slamming body of another that was not Miroku into a solid wall. His demon in slight control was the cause for the pride he felt in knowing that the monk was able to handle himself well enough to catch his prey instead of being the one caught. It was the whole pack-mate code built into his instinctual habits in his other form that was at fault. Pushing such thoughts down, he brought his claws up to grab a hold of his preys neck, making sure that a few of his claws brushed against the jugular vein. His demon was given satisfaction in the way his prey flinched away from him with the action. He was afraid to die. It was obvious there would be no real trouble in gaining the information he wanted from this buffoon.

"Now your going to tell me everything I want to know, and your going to say it loud enough so that my partner is able to hear it as well." He took a quick glance to asses Miroku situation, and saw that the man almost held a similar position as himself, only that he had his prey slammed up again the metal wall a knife firmly placed that the apex of his neck. One wrong move a river of blood would flow from the man until eventual death hit. "I'm not patient man, nor do I tolerate liars, isn't that right Miroku, I kill them." He called to his partner in crime.

"Actually Inuyasha, I'm not so sure that's true." He replied thoughtfully, his purple gloved hand never wavering in his hold upon the knife he held at the man's neck. "Unless of course you count gutting them in order to string them up by their organs before leaving them to die a death of agony, then by all means, your words ring true." He could feel the man he held into wall shiver with his horrific description. One that was a bold faced lie, being that his hanyou friend would never attempt such because he could not stand the smell of disemboweled human, nor could his ears stand the screaming it would entail.

"See." Inuyasha stated proudly, a grin that nearly sent the man wetting his pants, split his face showing a bit of his fangs. In the dark it mad for one creepy sight, especially if you add in the threat of disembowelment. "Now why were you fallowing us, keep in mind that I can smell a lie a mile away, besides that, I'm actually looking forward to getting a chance at sharpening my claws upon human flesh." Fear clogged his nose, forcing him to snuffle a couple of times in order to clear it. So much of that stench would prove detrimental these human's heath.

Gulping so loud that he was sure Miroku was able to catch the sound with his weaker senses, the man said. "They just wanted to know what you were doing! That's all, I swear it! They thought you were plotting something behind their backs!" Inuyasha sighed in disappointment. He had been looking forward to dragging the information out rather painfully. Oh well, guess you couldn't always have what you wanted.

"There's no doubt to who sent these idiots." When the one he held captive was about to protest to being called such a name -really a fool thing to do with a knife at your throat- Miroku pushed the blade a little more into his skin but not enough to actually draw blood.

Inuyasha nodded, and let up his hold, but only after nearly chocking his prey to death, nails digging painfully into the flesh. When the light haired man got away from his clutches, he began to grasp at his throat into an attempt to ease his sufferings. "Go tell your master, or what ever the hell you call him, that should he try this crap again, not only will both of his messengers be dead… but so will he." The hanyou growled in low tones. "Now run." As those two words spelt from his lips the man took off like a bat out hell, it nearly sent the hanyou to ground in a fit of laughter, but he contained himself. "Hey Miroku, It only takes one to deliver a message, right?"

"Yes Inuyasha." He spoke his agreement.

The darker of the two trackers began to shake heavily, a stronger stench of fear then before surround his body. "No, please, I got a family to take care of and a baby on the way…" He pleaded to his possible killers.

Inuyasha stared at him long and hard before nodding to Miroku to release him of the fate he was going to bestow upon him. "Tch." He scoffed. "Don't think this means I got a soft heart or anything, I just don't want to hear my partner bitching about this latter when things no one else can hear it." So he wasn't completely heartless! Like he wanted to be responsible for killing some kids dad, for the reason they've got to live on the streets cause their father was stupid and got mixed up in something bad. "Get out of here!" He yelled, causing him to scrambled out their just as quickly, if not faster, then the guy that fallowed along within him down the heavy path of moronic stupidity.

Miroku came around and patted his friend on the back, truly proud of him doing the right thing for once. "Such a gentle heart you have there, my friend." He commented tearfully. "I always knew it was in there somewhere!"

Ripping his shoulder away from his partner's touch, the hanyou snorted. "You know nothing monk, I just don't want to listen to belly aching all the way to the damned spider's joint." He informed with his arrogant air once more, trying to save face.

Miroku sighed. "Sure, Inuyasha." He shook his head sadly, fallowing him out the door. "Sure."

"Shut it, monk!"

**A/N:**I'm so sorry that this chapter came out so late, but my computer died and I had to get it fixed. It took a while. Guess someone that it would be funny to infect my computer with a virus, it spread to so many files that it took a while to kill the whole bug! But I got and thus am putting this chapter out for you all. I was going to make it longer for the long wait, but decided that it would be better to get a chapter out faster then having it come later then it was and be longer, right? Or would you all have preferred the longer chapter… shrugs oh well, too late to do anything about that know since I all ready got it out.

**Thanks to-**

**Lise(offline) - W00t! - Inuyashkougalegolas - Devour thy flame - Trixie-trix - OtakuHanyouGirl - Distance From Here - InuBaby 18 -**

**Thanks so much for all of your reviews!**

**Review Answer**

**Saiyou The Lover: **Thanks you so much for your comments, and also for mentioning the whole misspelled words thing. I do plan on going back and editing all of my mistakes, so far I think I've gotten up to chapter four. It was also really nice of you to say that this story would be the 'one of the best stories you've read so far,' made me feel all nice and warm and fuzzy inside!

**NordicaVB:** Can't say when, but I can tell you that I do have something really good planned out for it though… Who is the mystery man? I guess it might be kind of obvious… but I wont say for sure if the obvious is fact until couple or more chapters into the story. Sorry for the late update… really things have not been on my side for these last two update sighs here is hopping nothing goes wrong this next time!

**KeraSango:** Glad that you think the kit is cute, that's kind of what I was going for in the story. Considering the rep he has with most people. A Kagura fan too, ne? She should be in this next up coming chapter… or perhaps the next, I know for sure that it will be one of the two.

Really now? Same thing with me… one time when I was five I walked right into the light post in the middle of the pet store and fell right on my behind. Another time it was into the school double doors, the middle school too… I would say the most 'accident prone' in my family would be my sister… or perhaps my mom, not sure which of the two is more 'accident prone' then the other. Thank you, and sorry this one here happens to be a bit late…

**MiztikalDragon nsi:** I agree with you, and I'm glad that you like Koh/Rin stories as well. I though that since most people also like that paring, it might not matter so much that Sess/Kag won. Though I will try my best in writing such a couple correctly… I hope that you approve in the end. Thank you for the comments, and so sorry that this update got her so slowly… but I shall make it up to all by getting the next one out here much quicker!

**fire-goddess:** Thanks for the nice warm words, and as for the Kag/Inu lemon, I shall keep it in mind.

**Kit1002: **I'm happy that you like my story so much, gives me a nice feeling! The pairing turning out as it did was a real shocker for me as well, with how things were looking it didn't seem as if it would lean that way… but then that's how the cookie crumbles I guess… I will try my best though to make them an awesome couple for everyone. Happy Birthday!!!! Though I know it's really late, I want to wish you it anyways. Mine was Step. 28. I think that you would be the first Libra besides myself that I've had the pleasures of meeting, even if it's only over the net… hope to hear from you again Zonza

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**Thank you all of my reviewers! Without you guys I don't know were this story would be!!!! Certainly not this far along I tell you**


	10. Failure's Price

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Disclaimer: If I owned them, then I'd be rich instead of living in the dumpster behind the Bank One, typing this story out on a laptop that knocked me unconscious for a few hours when some one tossed it in!

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Hidden Beneath a Smile

Chapter Ten: Failure's Price

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They knelt before him like slaves, kissing the ground at his feet as they begged for their lives; a pitiful sight. A sight that sickened him to core. They should not be like this before him, a man no greater then they. A man whom was also not without failure. The two should not be at tears, pleading to live for they are the only ones their families have to care for them, they are what bring in the money for several others survival. These two agents would be missed in the world. That was his key to freedom of having the heavy task of putting to end their lives.

"Is it true what they say?" He catechized his grandfather quietly, the would not have been able to hear the words over their own loud sobbing.

"Yes." His grandfather replied, and by the reluctant tone it was made obvious to the grandson he knew of his planned action for this situation.

Nodding, he opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by interesting words. "We were not complete failures, I saw something that may be of interest." The sounds were forced out in desperation, and he was curious to know what was waited until now to be spoken of. They say curiosity killed that cat. A curious mind should never seek out its want, and satisfy its burning hunger, for it will only lead to ruin and heavy regrets. Yet, he was only a man and men never know when to say no, when to let sleeping dogs lie or so to speak.

"Go on." Dooming words.

The man kept in his knelt position, though he had a high suspicion it was more for the wounds by the whip the force him where he was. That or fear for another round. "I fallowed the son of the traitor, I saw him speaking with two young females and an even younger male." Words were hoarse from his own sobbed entreaties that went unheeded until now. "They seemed close to one another, very much so that it would leave me to believe they've been acquainted for sometime now perhaps even years." For every piece of information given there is an action that needed to be decided, and judging from his grandfather's wicked smile he had plagued himself with yet another burden for his heart to carry.

"Truly." Sadistic delight, his tone told to his grandson. "Perhaps a traitorous son and missing agents aren't our only options." Cruel eyes, hardened over the years slide to the side. "Grandson, tell me, did those DEA we sent out days ago ever make it back?"

"No." He whispered, dread filling his heart.

"And you sent more out, true."

"Yes." He did not like where this was going, but did not make it known through his words, through his features, nor through the stance he partook at the moment. His eyes were focused on a upon the ground, away from the bleeding men at his feet and his grandfather to his right.

"What did they see?" The growing excitement in the old man's voice was steadily chilling the young man's veins.

Swallowing hard, he began to speak already foreseeing where this was headed to. He now only needed a way to counteract his grandfather. "Nothing out of the ordinary grandfather." The word burned his mouth, like it always did when he addressed this man so. "It appeared as any shrine would, an old man and woman tending to it, children running off to school and the usual visitors coming to pay respects." He would not have innocent blood of the young on his hands.

"You, how old did they appear? And where exactly would this have been that you sighted these two?" He questioned the same man whom gave out this information in exchange for his life; scum.

"School aged, sir, and this was at the edge of Kyoto." He supplied as well as he could through his sore throat.

"You will earn your life by ending theirs."

"No!" He watched at the old man's eyes turned sharply to his own in irrational scorn. Those hard coal colored eyes burned into him with such heat that he should be nothing but standing ash by now. "You forget grandfather that I run this show and that all is okayed through me first and I will not spill innocent blood. This dream is coming to life for the main purpose of the government spilling such blood with no remorse and no care whatsoever. I will not demean myself by fallowing the actions of the enemy." He rasped out in harsh tones, and in his rant he had taken steps towards his grandfather; they were face to face now. Nose to nose. "I will not kill children." He stated firmly before turning to his DEAs and their torturer. "Your lives are spared, but failure can not be left unpunished." This was for the benefit of his grandfather, for those around him that thought him weak like every other instance before this. "Two hundred lashings of the whip." He watched they were shoved to their feet and herded away by the man whom would bring them to task.

"What is the meaning of this defiance!?"

He turned his back, walking towards the exit as though he heard not his grandfather's words. He paused to give a response. "It is no defiance, but merely logical reasoning." He said on the spot, moving to face the man head on. "We kill those two and we will have the Shikaku brother's on our tail more then we do already, and not only that but their allies will also be out for our blood. It is a known fact, that to mess with them in such a way is to ask for wrath of all mafias associated with them and the Shikakus make no secret of whom they are associated with either." That was not it, not it at all. The thought of murdering children did not sit well with him, and that his grandfather would consider it was disturbing to say the least, if not all surprising.

The old man snorted, crossing his arms behind his back. "Are you afraid, is that why you yield when opportunity presents itself?" He sneered, standing back a bit to study his grandson as though a butcher prodding for the best cut. He felt thoroughly examined.

"I fear nothing, grandfather." Not the slightest flinch was made on his behalf under that stare of the old man. "Not even my own destruction." He replied tonelessly. Turning his back to the old man he made way once more to the exit, sparing no more words to the old fool. He wanted freedom of this place and of the confusion and turmoil it bore in his heart. He wanted out.

****

Nighttime around the southern piers wasn't the best time to be out in the open for normal folk with no destination other than passing through. Really anywhere out on the water front at night when legitimate shops and boaters packed it in for the day was a terrible place to be; unless you had a purpose, unless you were of importance to the lesser society of life. This area, however, wasn't safely traversed even by those of the trade, or even by those of whom are allied with the territory owner. Higawa, Naraku -they say- seemed to have a bad streak of betraying anything that breathes. At lest this was spoken in whispers by those during they day, those that knew this cunning mind as the business tycoon owning a company of many that manufactures war weapons for the country's army. Not a comforting thought to those that knew his true face.

Leather encased hands housed themselves in dark pant pockets, amber eyes staring at the ground before his feet uneasily; though he tried hard not to show it. It was difficult enough to figure out how to avoid the catastrophe he could foresee before him, then having to worry whether or not the monk would notice his apparent reluctance in this venture his brother sent them on. Calm was an impossible thing to grasp at the moment, not when he knew the damnable Spider waited to trip him around the corner.

"You alright, Inuyasha?" Miroku commented cautiously towards the pensive stature of the hanyou. "I can go alone if you wish it." They were nearly standing right out side the metal door that barred them from entering as they pleased.

He was most certainly not going to let the monk in their alone with the spider, there was no telling the kind of falsehood the fiend would fill his partners head with. Inuyasha knew that whatever it may be, it was definitely likely to be so far from the actual truth… maybe that might not be such a horrible thing. He shook his head, no, counting his luck, the luck of a hanyou, it would be the exact truth and not an exaggerated word falling from his mouth. "Tch, I'm fine, you're the one that's got to worry about walking in there, human." Around this time every person within Naraku's joint would be some type mythical being; it was a place were one could shed their skin and be what they truly were. Not just the costume they hid behind. It would have been a rather nice place if it wasn't run by the spider.

Miroku nodded with out comment as the tense form beside him pounded on the metal door a couple times resulting in a resounding thud. The metal eye pieced slid back with small clank to reveal cold glaring browns. "What the hell do you want now?" A familiar voice shrieked. "Haven't you harassed us enough for the week!?"

"What are-"

The confused inquiry barely had the chance to leave his mouth once those browns beheld him. "Oh, the monk is with you this time around." She commented venomously, hard eyes slide back to the hanyou. "I guess he was wrong mutt, the hentei didn't abandon your flee bitten hide." Clicking her tongue she sighed dramatically. "Here I thought the monk had finally wised up and-"

"Damnit miko witch, we don't have time for this!" Inuyasha snarled, his lips lifting enough bare a little white fang to the outside world. Though he could receive only traces of her scent through the door, he could still detect her fear. It made him grin wickedly. "You are going to let us in and then your going to tell the spider the conversation he we had a couple days ago stays between me, him and the don. Let him know that if a word of it, or any insinuations pop up in conversation today I'll level this whole place to the ground along with the patrons." His word were slow and deliberate as if he was trying to speak with an ignorant child.

The though spark an irrational rage throughout as she took in deep breaths to relax her trembling body. Pulling back the look she tossed the door open with high hopes of the heavy metal waking a certain inu square in the face; unfortunately he managed to dodge this. Quelling her disappointment, Kikyou motioned for them to enter. "Pick a place to sit and wait." She turned to fix the door latch making sure that it was in fact locked. "Monk if you want anything ask a waitress, not grope." Her eyes then lit heatedly upon the dog eared man to the monk's left. "I swear if you make even the slightest sound in complaint or harass anyone, then you can bet your food will be good and poisoned." With that she turned on a heal, stalking away from them.

"Whatever you say, Miko Witch!" Inuyasha called cheerily after her.

He watched as she paused, taking deep breaths, her hand clenching and unclenching at her sides. "Breathe in, breathe out." She mumbled over and over again lowly under her breath. She didn't know what it was about the hanyou. Whenever he was around his words, his arrogant air forced her from the cool and clam face she wore daily into throwing names right back at him like a two year old that had her new toy taken away from a much bigger child. It infuriated her, so much so that she was forced into taking anger-management classes by Naraku, that she was destroying walls and such of his property with miko energy to rid herself negative feelings running through her.

Miroku watched the interaction between the two with amusement like always, and yet something nagged at him, or rather two some things. Fallowing Inuyasha to the farthest table in a corner booth that was both block from sight of the bar and entrance, as well as offered limited lighting for the eyes to see, Miroku sat across from the hanyou. "I've never asked before, unsure if I truly wanted to hear the answer, but…" he leaned forward a bit. "What happened between you and the miko for her to despise you that much." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "A one nightstand-"

"No I didn't you letch." He felt revulsion shiver down his spine a the mere thought, before a slight smile broke over his features. "Apparently some of the more underdeveloped civilizations out there still believe in burning witches at the cross."

His eyes widened in realization. "You didn't." Miroku knew that Inuyasha had a short fuse and it was not a good idea to push him least one wanted to end up dead, yet he also knew the hanyou did not extend that invitation to woman and children, especially not to humans. It took a lot for the hanyou to harm a human.

"Of course not!" He growled with a pointed glare in the monk's direction. The idiot should know him better, he huffed mentally. "Back before she met the spider, miko witch and I had an assignment taking us to Israel and somehow ended up in some unnamed village in the Egyptian desert I think." From his position he had a perfect view of the spider's office. If they had to wait that meant he was already speaking with someone else, and depending on the weight it could mean he views this someone else as more important, and quite possibly more dangerous, than Sesshoumaru. If that's the case then whomever exits that door along with the Miko Witch needed close watching. "We were standing outside the hut, I guess you'd call it, arguing over whose fault it was for being lost. She pulled some of the miko crap on me and I yelled at her for using black magic to win our argument."

A grin broke out over his features and he shook his head ruefully. "Next thing I know she being jumped by nearly the whole town while I'm taken to their witch doctor, as they call him, to break the enchantment the 'witch' placed on me. I was told after being made to recuperate from being cast upon, they were going to burn the 'witch,'" Inuyasha's grin turned feral as he though about the ending of the story. The corner of his left eyes watched, as he expected, as Kikyou lead two ordinary street punks to the door. He wasn't a fool, a fool didn't live a life on the streets as long as he and continue to breath. Inuyasha could spot a DEA a mile away, no matter the undercover wear. "Just as the threw the torch into the hay, I tare in there growling for them to hand over my pet. It was great." He left his watch as his eye noticed the Miko Witch coming towards them, feigning innocent over what he'd lain witness to. "As they were screaming and running to find weapons to fight the 'Demon' I grabbed the Miko Witch and ran. She still hasn't forgiven me." He said smugly, as though it were one of the greatest accomplishments in existence.

"Surely your over-exaggerating, she can't possibly still blame you for this." Miroku tried to reason, ignoring Inuyasha's horrified look.

"She can and she will." A familiar voice stated firmly from behind, Miroku turned slightly to catch a glimpse of Kikyou before she moved to stand directly next to their table. "It's the flee bitten mutt's fault in the first place for hiring an incompetent pilot that can't read a map." They're she went again, resorting to childish tactics as name calling because of him. The arrogant dog that had plagued her life since the moment she came to work for his brother. No matter the amount of effort she placed into keeping her stoic face, her stoic aura, she could not keep it from cracking to dust in his presence.

Inuyasha snorted at the comment. "You were the one that claimed to be able to read the damned map, and you were the one that said, and I quote, '_Land here you incompetent fool, this is the spot!_'" He mocked in a high pitched voice that sounded awfully like a dying cat in an alleyway.

A scandalized gasp escaped her over painted lips. "I do not sound like that!" She shrieked in horrified tones. "I would never have nearly died by being burned alive if you hadn't opened your big filthy yap!" She snapped at him.

Kicking the hanyou underneath the table and earning for himself a scathing glare for his actions, Miroku turned to Kikyou with a charming smile painted on his face. "As much as I'd love to sit hear listening to the both of you verbally tare into each other, you, dog, and I need to speak with the spider on behalf of the big dog." The miko looked down her nose at him, turning on heal and motioning for them to fallow her lead. Inuyasha silently cursed his code name as he made to shadow the two. They really needed to think of better names then their origins and habits.

Entering the office, Inuyasha made sure to keep his eyes level the with the spider's own. If he could not get a verbal acceptance then he would get on in sight. Feeling only slightly comfortable with what was seen in Naraku's dark red orbs, the hanyou conceded to allow Miroku to handle the verbal parts in this visit, at least until the end or an unfortunate technicality comes up. Taking to leaning against the back wall to observe the conversation, Miroku took a seat before the spiders desk.

Naraku grinned as he took in the sight of the monk, he wasn't present the last time. They were always together, they were partners, they knew everything the other knew; at least everything that dealt with their line of work. "What do I owe this visit, Inuyasha, so soon after the last one?" He nearly let out a depressed sigh as the monk paid no mind to the bait. His countenance showed not the slightest alteration to show that he in fact had no knowledge of this encounter.

Calmly Miroku replied. "Inuyasha will not be involved in this conversation and all comments and questions should be addressed to myself." Leaning back in the chair, crossing one leg over the other, he said. "You are not to question anything I say least you wish to deal with the don, do as you are told and everything will end alright for you ." During business transactions he left his farcical manner aside along with his open and easy going self and donned a hard expression that let nothing pass with an endless patients that astounded most. "This is your payment." Miroku said, delving his hand into his coat pocket and tossing the bundle of cash at the spider.

Catching it, he brought the green before his eyes. A clawed finger separated each thousand yen as he mentally counted. Seven hundred and fifty thousand yen, just what exactly was expected of him that would warrant such high price. He already knew it involved a risk to his life, anything over five hundred thousand yen always did. "What, pray tell, am I to do?" He queried lazily, handing the cash over to Kikyou for safe keeping. She took it wordlessly and left the room for the safe to store it.

Noting that he had accepted the money and could not, without great bodily risk, refuse their request Miroku went on to explain the job he had unknowingly and silently taken. "A document has recently come into our hands, the don wishes to know if there is any truth in its contains." Miroku explained, his hand once more disappearing into his coat pulling fourth a small file and again tossed it out to the spider watching as he caught it effortlessly. "Read it later." He commanded sternly as Naraku's hands moved to open the file and feast his reds upon the information it held for him. "You are to do as instructed, no more and no less. This is to be held higher then your other projects and will be completed within the week, this extra fifty thousand yen if to see to that." He flashed the bills before returning them. "You will receive this payment in the usual secured bank account the moment the information we seek is sent." Pausing, he looked Naraku square in the eyes. " Do we have an understanding?"

"Hai." His smooth as oil voice confirmed.

Miroku nodded. "Good." He stood from his chair and made for the door. "Then we have nothing else to say to one another."

Inuyasha had been watching the entire conversation, silently noting the reason he always let the monk handle the transactions and meetings. People listened to the monk, and while it was the same for him it was mostly done out of fear for their lives; fear can be a bad thing. Then there was always the cocky one, the one that got on his nerves enough for him to consent to the death wish the made for themselves the moment they opened their mouths in arrogance. Miroku actually had the patients to deal with such matters as that without violence. It was also, he knew for fact, the reason Sesshoumaru made the monk his third forcing Miroku to shadow him during all of his duties to keep him in line.

Pushing from the wall as the monk came towards him, he said. "Go and wait by the door, I'll be with you in a moment." Nodding he left without a word, but not without a curious glance and Inuyasha made way to stand before the spiders desk. "Do you have the information I asked you about?"

Naraku leaned back in his chair, a frown marring his features with his brows drawn down tight a displeased look embedded in his deep red eyes. Inuyasha took this as bad news, in which he was correct. "The files are untraceable after a bit of tracking, whomever did this was an expert to say the least." The words were spoken in a low tight and controlled voice. He did not like the fact that he could not accomplish such an easy task as this should have been. "Though I can tell you this, Inuyasha, whomever stole those files did so from your own computer and I do not mean through your computer by means of another. This was done from this IP address and this one alone." He held out a small squared paper with numbers written upon it. "Whomever this belongs to is your likely culprit."

Inuyasha took the paper from between the spiders claws, placing it within his leather jacket's pocket. "I see." Tossing the payment at the youkai, he turned stiffly from the room trying to contain the anger he felt at the moment. He did not need to look into the numbers written upon the square to know it was Miroku whom did this. The question would be, Why? Why did he feel it so important to hide this information from them, what was in it? The questions were eating at his mind with nothing to fill their growing appetites, and thus he paid the monk no mind as he stormed passed him down the way they come, Miroku trailing silently behind him, but now without his curious looks. The monk was never with out is inquiries when he could not read the hanyou's expression.

"Inuyasha, what is wrong?"

"None of your damn business monk!" He snarled walking ahead. Taking a deep breath, he replied in a more controlled tone. One that bespoke of a man at the edge of utter fury, it brought unease to the monk's mind. "Actually you and I are going to speak about it later, that I can promise you monk!" He stated firmly.

Suddenly Miroku wasn't entirely sure he wanted the answer to his question. Especially if all that anger was directed at him.

****

The sun had long ago left it's reign in favor of allowing the moon some time to grace the sky as it had done earlier. Along with the moon, stars dotted along the blackness above, though it was slightly hidden from view by the pesky clouds that decided to vie for a stargazer's notice. Rin rubbed her hands together as she seated herself upon the same swing she had been in the last time. She knew it was rather foolish of her to be out at the park during this hour of night, but she could not help it. Her mind was at an unrest and hopped that the peace and quiet she received her would do her some good.

Actually that wasn't entirely the truth. Her mind was alive with images and thought, and not just any thoughts any image, they were of the man that had helped her that evening. Not matter what she would do there seemed to be no curing him from her mind, it was little more than aggravating; torturous of the worst kind more like. No one had ever left such a lasting impression upon her before, and she had no idea why this one man was so important, so memorable.

Perhaps it was the kindness he showed to her, Rin mused in a half daze as she swayed slightly in the swing, feet still planted upon the sandy ground. She refused to believe what Sango had told her before she wound up here at the park. It was not possible, such thing as that did not exist in the world.

Rin did not, like Inuyasha and his brother, believe that love was a fools gain. She did not believe, like the inu brothers, love to be an emotion fit for the weak and fool hardy. That world bore no longer such emotions as love. Just lust and a means to an end. A useless commodity is what love is made into now a days. Said only when one needed something, desired something; all of which had nothing to do with the true meanings of love. That is what they claim.

No.

The girl believed in love, that it still existed, but what she found utterly impossible is love at first sight. Sango was wrong, that was not her probably. Instant attraction maybe, and all she needed for such a disease was a distraction. If only she could find that right cure. Nothing as of yet seemed to be working.

"It is you." Soft as silk across her skin the voice whispered, causing her to jump slightly and turn to face the intruder with wide frightened eyes. "I didn't mean to startle you." Amusement laced the words, as the body cloaked in darkness came around to sit in the swing beside her own just like before. "I never expected to see you again, such a lovely surprise for the day I've had."

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Speak of him and he shall appear, or think as the case may be… Rin's brows drew down in befuddlement. "How does seeming me equal that?" She questioned, firmly keeping from looking at him. Why did she have to ask that…

He chuckled heartily, but did not answer. "How are you doing opposed to the day we first met?" He ventured down another path instead of giving voice to answer he did not have. For some reason that he could not fathom he felt more at peace now that he sat beside her. A brown eyes slide to observe her in secret, such a cheerful girl by nature. He could see it in the way she held herself, in the lithe of her words and sparkle of her light brown irises and rich black pupils. Somehow being around her he felt as thought something had been lifted from his chest, he felt free; perhaps it was something contained within her aura.

"I'm doing better." Her soft voice answered him and he found himself smiling for it. Something so inane, it had been such a long while, if ever, he had been able to smile or behave in such a manner.

"Good, I'm glad." Suddenly he felt an urge bubble up in him, one that confused him. He had never had it before and thus it came as a great surprise now as the words bubbled fourth from his lips. "I understand what it is like to lose." He whispered, he shook himself of it forcing this want, this need down. "Never mind, I don't want to bore you with nothing." He smile reassuring at the young woman at his side as her light browns looked at with concern. His chest felt tight, he had never been the recipient of such genuine concern before. Suddenly it felt a bit difficult to breathe. Perhaps he should leave, but then he was reluctant to do so…

"It might help to talk of it." Her words broke through his reverie, causing him to blink at her wordlessly a moment. Blushing, Rin shook her head. "I'm sorry, that was too forward wasn't it?"

He smiled again, he couldn't help such a reaction to her and it bothered him. Grinning beyond even his own control, he had never had such a hardship of controlling his reactions, his emotions like he was having as of now. He looked away from her, perhaps it would help. "No it wasn't." He took a deep breath. "I've no memory beyond the age of fifteen to lay claim to. Apparently I am orphaned with my grandfather as my sole guardian, so I understand, slightly, of what your going through." His smile held so much warmth and good humor that it was hard to believe he was the same as the boy that lurked around his grandfather's home, and the office.

Rin swallowed hard, she had not meant to bring such a painful past into remembrance for him. Though he likely never did forget such a thing, her questioned likely brought it to the surface for him at the moment. She felt horrible. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She squeaked, a confused frown broke out upon her face at the laughter that fallowed her apology.

He had not laughed with such heart in as long as he could remember, which wasn't much. No harsh undertones shadowed his chortle like in past instances, it actually made him feel wonderful, feel free! Freer then he had in such a long time of coming to work with his grandfather. "I don't mind it all, it's just you are the first I've spoken of this too. It's not so bad having to past to look to." He lied easily. "But it does leave a whole where your heart should be." He contradicted his sentence with this soft admittance. Why did he impart such knowledge upon her girl he was likely to never see again? Perhaps he was being foolish after having such a stressful day.

"I'm Rin, and you would be." At his confused look, she added. "Last time we met we did not introduce ourselves, I don't want to make the same mistake twice and thus I'm doing it now."

Nodding his understanding, he replied. "Haku, I am called Haku."

"It's nice to meet you Haku." She said, a soft smile adoring her face and matching her eyes. "I have to be leaving now or my caretaker will be worried seeing that it is awfully late fore me to be out."

"I see." He frowned, not wanting her to leave but consenting. "Would you like me to walk you, being a young girl alone in this side of town isn't a very good thing after the sun sets?"

Rin smiled gratefully. "To my car, I would love that." She stood from the swing as he fallowed suite, placing a hand at the small of her back leading her back to the small path way before allowing his hand to fall away and for her to lead him to her car as he made sure nothing ill befell her.

****

Eyes watched in a building from across the street as one by one the light of the penthouse of his query went out. His newest assignment. Stake out the building that was already being watched by the Shikaku brothers, and see just whom it was exactly that treaded into the building and out. Once that was complete and he reported back within a couple of days, he was destroy the occupants of the house, as were the orders of one Mr. Akihito Haku. If, provided what he reported back, was necessary.

For now was the easy part, he just needed to lie and wait.

****

A/N: I wanted to update this yesterday by my brother hogged the computer all day! Grrr, such is the woes of having younger siblings, or siblings at all! Just being a bit overly dramatic there… Nah, I really do love my bro

Anyways, what did you all think of this chapter? Spiffy, no? I think it was, anyways be sure to review and tell me what you think. I value your guys' opinions How am I to know if I'm doing a good job when you don't review?

Anyways….

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A special thanks to all my lovely reviewers out there, and a thank you tall of you that reads it! You all get a cookie of your choice, what ever you think it'll appear right before you! Cool, neh?


	11. Watching

_**A/N:**_

I appologize deeply for not updating in so very long. In fact, I bet some of you were wondering if I had keeled over, which I don't blame you. I haven't updated in well over a year, and for that I'm really, really, really sorry and hope that you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me. Something very horrible happened to my family, something that I really would rather not go into the details of, and it kept me from the compture. My family needed me, however things are pretty, much better now and so I will be updating more frequently.

You will be happy to know that I have **_two chapters completed for this story,_** besides this one, and all they really need is to be edited. Don't worry, I have some one to edit for me now; my sister whom I would like to thank for doing so. I also plan to go back and have my other chapters for this story edited and I may also change some things around to better fit an Idea I have recently aquired for this story. I might, I still haven't decided if I will use the idea.

So far for my story **_Simple lies_** I have re-written **_Chapter One, _**and I hope you all enjoy it, that is if you decide to go and check it out. **_Chapter Two_** only has about two or three more paragraghs that need to be re-written and checked befor its finished. I'll more then likely have it up one to two days later after posting this chapter right here.

**_You want to join!_** If you want me to email you telling you of my updates then say so in your review, or if you don't want other people have your email, then just email me saying that you wish to have news of updated emailed to you and I will do so.

**_Disclaimer: _**Don't own 'em!

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

**_Chapter Eleven: _**Watching

**_I_**t has been nearly a week since Sango began carting her charges around the halls of the school, making sure they arrived home safe according to her duties. The girl, she was not so bad, maybe even a little likable. She was always kind to her, not all stuck up, or sleazy as she though the girl would be like due to Miroku's perverted personality. Sango knew, although she was loath to admit it, that if this Kagome were not the main attraction of Miroku's affection they would likely be the best of friends after so much time in the other's company. It was a bit petty of her, but she could not help it.

These unwelcome thoughts were shoved the back of her mind, as she stood from the barstool at the island of her kitchen. She had other responsibilities to attend to rather then mopping about the dramatics currently taking over her life. Light steps, telling of a master at her trade, brought her to the living room were her current results of shopping trips, sat.

A smile lit her face.

One entire love seat filled with bags of things she would have likely used in her younger days, things that she had been deprived of. The couch beside it, one to fit at lest five bodies, also held a fair share of bags. She knew that it was a bit early for this since Thanksgivings Day had yet to pass, however she just could not contain herself. After having received a hundred thousand yen for a job, though it is the least she had ever made, and passing the toy and clothing stores, she could not help it. It was as though she were being pulled by an invisible thread, leading her to the stores, provoking her to spend the entire check on those in her care.

Peeking through all of the bags, she plucked out the warm flannel pajamas she had purchased for all of the children under her care. The nights were getting colder, and they needed something warm to keep them from catching chill in the night. It would not bode well to have any of them getting ill on Christmas as where would the fun in that be?

Gathering up everything into a bag, Sango stood from her crouched position to deliver these goods to the kids residing in her building. Walking over to the entryway that lead from the living into her kitchen, Sango leaned over and pressed a button to the intercom. A nifty invention she had installed after one of the rooms had a small accident that she did not know about until being informed by the police. To avoid such mishaps she had these installed in every room. It had worked so far.

"Hey guys line up outside my door, I've gotten something for you all." She heard a static coursed 'yes' and, 'were coming' though the speakers. A light smile appearing upon her features, she waited listening as they all fought over whom would stand where. After a few more minutes she pushed, open the door, grinning at all the expectant eyes staring her way. "Alright this is for Souten." She announced, handing her the crayon print, the girl's eyes sparkled, as her eyes looked them over. "This one is for Shiori." It was a multi-rainbow cloud print; she took them with a small smile examining over the outfit much like Souten had. "This one goes to Sotaru." Nearly a half an hour later left her with an empty bag and smiling chattering faces. It made her feel wonderful, and giddy, they always made her feel that way, especially after a terrible day at school or a mission.

She heard the steps of her guest long before she saw the man round the corner of the hall, she stood from her crouched position, poised and ready to attack if need be. Sango knew that it was not necessary to assume such a stance with this man, and yet if he made one slip of the tongue in the presence of her charges she would send him sailing down the staircase. It is not like it would hurt him, as it seemed nothing else she threw at the perverted houshi seemed to faze him in the slightest. Better safe then sorry. "Why don't you guys go try them on and see if they fit." She took a brief moment to watch as they scrambled towards their rooms the incessant gibbering dying down to a mere whisper as they disappeared. "If I'm needed for a job why didn't you call me?" She queried, Sango, if she could help it, did not want these young lives to get mixed up in her situation for they could very well be lost in this battle. "And if you wanted to see me for some unknown reason, you should have called, you know I don't want them anywhere near this side of my life." She hissed, eyes narrowing.

Miroku held up his hand before him in a pacifying manner. "You wouldn't have taken my call." He defended, and though they both knew it to be true, she did not consent to his excuse. The monk sighed in defeat, moving to lean against the nearest wall while he looked Sango up and down holding back the urge to smile ever so slightly. She had grown up a lot since he first dragged her from that orphanage and his heart twanged with the thought as well. While she was not, without knowledge of the world's cruelties, he had further stolen her innocence by entering her into this society of coalitionist. He took innocent hands and placed with in them a weapon, turned her to an existence of killing. While he was not the one whom taught her the art, he might as well have for he had been the one to deliver her to such a fate by finding the information of her past, by hunting her down. His thoughts sobered up from his normal facade and brought to him a somberness that was a usual mien for him to bear, just not with her. "I want to thank for watching out for her, Kagome and Souta." He swallowed. "I know that they can take care of themselves," he whispered more to himself then to Sango, "but it helps to know that you have their backs."

Nodding her understanding, keeping the jealous thoughts at bay, Sango ventured. "Is that all you came to say, or is there more?" While it was nice to have his gratitude, it wasn't such a great feeling knowing as she did that the woman she protected -the reason for his approbation- was the girl he was likely in love with. She hopped that there was more. The first time in years he had made an appearance at the place she lived instead of leaving a message for them to meet somewhere and it was all for this? She dearly hoped not.

"I have to meet with Inuyasha in a bit," he said despairingly, "but I was hopping to discuss a small matter with you that I'd hoped for you to keep in close confidence. Meaning it does not leave this room." Miroku clarified, following Sango as she motioned him to enter her home. He trailed her steeps, taking a seat at the barstool before the kitchen's island just as she, herself had done. She said nothing, waiting for him to begin and he remained silent looking for the best way to go about this. He needed to tell someone and wanted it to be Sango, she was the one whom stood over two of his most precious treasures. He needed to know that she understood the importance of the mission he had bestowed upon her, but he knew that there was a greater reason behind it all. Even if only subconsciously.

"Are you going to tell me what you came to say, Houshi," she complained with a half laughing half-annoyed tone. Her cinnamon colored pools implored into his own, he could see the many questions passing through their depths the longer he stayed motionless, speechless. "Or is that you plan on staring at me all day?" She tried to smile, but she could not do a good job of it with that uncharacteristically somber look to his face, and thus her lips slowly slide back into a frown. "Houshi?"

"I'm not really a monk you know." He stated finally, almost absentmindedly. This conversation, if he were to have it, was not the easiest to begin. Turning in his seat, Miroku rested his elbows upon the counter top, his head resting in his hands as he stared down at the patterns in the marble color. "Some of us entered into this society on the darker side in order to find some type of revenge against the men, the man that took away our loved ones from us, ending their lives short." He began in a subdued tone, eyes remaining where they were. "All of us have at lest one relative, one friend, one person that we do not want involved in our vendetta, involved in our way of life." He paused a moment to collect his thoughts, taking in deep breaths. Was he really doing the right thing in confiding this to her, when he could not even do the same for Inuyasha; a friend, a confidante, which he had known much longer? He knew that he could trust Sango to not say a thing, but the hanyou was another story. He trusted his partner with his life, but he was also second in command to the Don, and with that came the obligation of informing Sesshoumaru of anything that may present itself in their goal as useful. He was as well tightly held under that obligation, since he was third in command, but he also knew that he could sacrifice his life to the ire of his boss if it meant keeping his remaining family intact.

"Miroku, I don't understand really what your trying to tell me?"

"Then listen to everything before you try to make sense of it." Miroku chided gently. "I have two such persons that I wish to keep from ever knowing this life, and yet it would seem as though fate works against me. Not only was I forced into brining them into a members home, but I was also forced into telling Sesshoumaru they may have been witnesses to something that they are likely not in order to have protection for them. I lied to the Don, Sango, and I'll likely be killed for it... unless some type of mercy strikes him in that instant and I don't really care as long as they are safe when it is all over." Admitting some of this felt good, it felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders, leaving him to feel freer some how.

"It's about that girl and her brother, isn't it?" Sango queried solemnly.

"Yes." Miroku replied faintly.

"Why Miroku?" She asked frantically, stunning the monk. She rarely, if ever, used his actual name when speaking to him. "Why would you risk something such as your life for them?" Her voice trembled, causing the monk to wince. "Why are they so important for you do this? Don't you understand that-" Sango cut herself off, the thumping muscle in her chest squeezing at such a painful force. "You are such an idiot." She scolded fondly, voice cracking. She would not cry, she would not! She knew the truth to Miroku's words; She had seen for herself Sesshoumaru kill a man for less. The monk was a real baka!

"You need to understand Sango, they are just not anyone... Kagome and Souta are my family." Miroku delineated, with such a dour tone, his face marked with such a stolid expression she had no other choice but to take him literally in this. "They're the only ones I've got left and I don't want to loose them just yet... I'm their big brother, their aniki and even if it is not in my power I have to do anything I can to protect them, even if the end result is my death." He spoke his words soft, calming and without the slightest hesitation. Miroku swallowed hard, now that it was out, what would she do with this information? His heart pounded in trepidation, he knew that he could trust her, but even the strongest of warriors fall under the pressure; and, when he wanted to be, Sesshoumaru was the largest of all pressures. His heart beat faster at that. "You can not tell anyone about this Sango, it is of utmost importance that you do not speak of this to anyone outside of myself. That is if you feel the need to. My brother and sister could be in danger if you do." His voice shook with emotion as he made the entirety to her. "Promise me that you won't, Sango." His words, a mere whispered plea.

The assassin was in a bit of a shock to say the least. The two that she was to guard, to protect by his order were his siblings. A little boy that was growing on her, and a girl that - and now the thought made her blush while turning green- she would easily become friends with if only she did not hold Miroku's affection, his love. Only now could she see that their love was not that of a man and woman, but of a brother and sister. It made sense then, that he would not touch her as he did with other women, that he would behave in her presence. It was obvious, at least now, and she was a bit ashamed her thoughts were running in this direction, but she now, hopefully, had a chance at him.

Tossing the thoughts to the furthest reaches of her mind, she decided to bring them back for later contemplation. How difficult that it must be for him, to carry this burden in the life that they lead. To see Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, both, knowing that he was keeping such a secret from them; going behind their backs and taking such risky precautions to make sure the knowledge he was aware of would never make it to their ears. She prayed, silently, that both of the Shikaku brothers showed mercy to her savior. "You have my word, I won't say anything, in fact I don't believe you told me anything at all."

Miroku smile, if only slightly, and it warmed Sango's heart to see. "Thank you," he returned, bowing his head gratefully.

"No need." She brushed off, jumping from the stool and turning her back to him in order to hide her glowing cheeks from his sight. They stood like that in silence for a long while, before she turned on her heal to face him. "You hungry, I know that I am and I could make something up real quick." She ventured, tilting her head in the direction of the pantry. She would make instant ramen, it would be quick, and she would not have to show off her terrible cooking skills. Living at an orphanage for the majority of ones life didn't really give one a chance at honing that skill, though she had to admit, she could put together a decent meal when she put her heart into it.

"I would not want to impose upon you, and besides that I must meet Inuyasha in a an hour or so, I believe he said, for I have put off this eventual talk long enough." It was true; he had been giving him the run around. Telling his hanyou partner, he would be at one place while he was truly at another. He dreaded this eventual conversation for more then likely the truth would come out, and he was not entirely sure he would be able to keep his siblings without knowledge of his hidden self.

"If you were imposing upon me, as you say, then I'd have kicked you out the door a long time ago, houshi." Sango declared as she poured water into a pot, setting it upon the burner and wait for it to come to a boil. Moving with a warrior's grace, she glided across the floor. "So what do you say? Will you join me for a meal?" She paused in mid reach for two cups of ramen, sparring him a questioning glance.

Miroku hid a grimace at the sight of the instant ramen, a delicacy in Inuyasha's opinion, a tragedy in his own. Though he might not have held to such a harsh sentiment if the hanyou had not forced him to eat the meal for all three times of day where one would dine on the occasions that they bunked together for one reason or another. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stay a while longer." He would hold to his silence as not to offend her, for he was already likely to be on her least favorite person list; if she even had one. Not only that, he really was not in any hurry to see Inuyasha although he should tough it out and get over this.

Sparing the monk a small smile, Sango said. "Good."

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**_O_**ne week had past since the entire ordeal in which she was moved from her home to another, in which she lost two more members of her family. The time she spent in her room with the music blaring so that her brother and newest little roommate would not be privy to the tears she constantly shed for them, dwindled slightly, but did not stop. Souta's frequent visits to her room on the other hand had not lessened at all, and with her little brother came Shippo for he could not sleep after Souta awoke screaming from a twisted tale of the truth. A nightmare, if you will, portraying the events of that faithful night where their lives had changed. Now weather that is for the better or worse had yet to be decided, but it was currently leaning more towards the latter.

While her week had been pleasant, she was never able to shove the knowledge of that fateful day to the furthest recesses of her mind. It was always there, lurking beneath the surface of other thoughts, of other words as they were spoken. It was this, that kept a true smile from her face, and it was this reason she had to be stronger then before. Strong enough to hold up her brother when he fell in to despair; allowing him to have a steady rock to grieve upon. Never faltering in a brave front so that her little brother had hoped to find solace in her warm embrace and not the abundant sadness ragging a storm inside her heart.

A slight smile filtered across her lips, through all the bad that has happened recently, there were a many good that had occurred, moments, things, actions that she would likely not trade for the world. Never had she seen innocence quite like Shippo's, and such a curious child he was; always questioning everything he did not have a ready answer to. He held such a way about him that Kagome could hardly help but to indulge his every want. If the child did not get her aniki to spoil him rotten, he would surely have her to do it. Even Souta seemed helpless to the child's charm, playing any and every game Shippo wanted a thousand times over until the youngster got tired of playing. She was grateful to the child as well, it was his playful nature that allowed them to leave their depressions long enough to laugh.

Not only did they have the bright-eyed child to keep them company, but also Miroku's friend Sango. Kagome had a slight suspicion they both hopped for something more to blossom between them, but were to dense to realize that same want existed in the deepest desires of the other's heart. Things always were much more interesting when the two of them were around, not one or the other. With Miroku's die hard habit, and Sango's punishment they never lacked for entertainment. Kagome honestly believed that the girl would make a wonderful girlfriend for her brother, the only problem with that was Sango thought Miroku and herself were already romantically involved even if they would deny it with such heart. She thought they were in denial, and Kagome could not really fault her for such a thought. If she were in the girl's shoes, Kagome might have run down the same misguided idea.

Turning restlessly from where she lay sprawled about upon the couch, Kagome shot a glance at the clock above the fireplace before returning her vision once more to sightlessly rest upon the television. She had not a clue as to what aired right then, too deep in her thoughts. Shippo and her brother were in the room they now shared engrossed in one of the playing systems that her brother owned and thus the two could offer her no amusement. Not that it would help much, so in to her own musings as she was.

Pushing weakly up from the couch, she rolled off on to the floor, standing, her eyes taking in a brief scan of the place. Although she had been a resident of the penthouse a week, she had not fully viewed every room, being so wrapped up in the many events that followed that one night. She would do so now, it would keep her busy and she would be a lot less board then she was at the current moment.

She could not really call it an exploration as she already had a destination in mind. Kagome only hoped that her masterfully exercising the use of the room did not merit a good enough reason for her to be in trouble. Such a room was not meant-to-be messed around in without the proper permission of the owner, but she was currently that owner so technically…

Kagome tossed the thought aside before she convinced herself not to follow through, her feet lightly prattling across the family room to carry her down a hall and towards an iron cast door. She had thought it odd when she first had noticed it, being the only one of it's kind and thus took a peek to find something that held her utmost interest. Regretfully she did not explore it and had turned away from such a great find to tend to things that needed her most. Yet, now, she had the time to waste hours, to lose herself in a series of movements that needed no thought to execute.

Her hands lightly pushed the door open, her eyes blinking a couple of times to adjust to the much darker room. Kagome ran fingers along the wall closet to the exit in order to find the light-switch. Once found she flipped it, only to receive such a limited amount of light that her deep browns could hardly make out the myriad of weapons that lined the back walls from top to bottom. Quickly, she made her way across the room, excitement filling her, as she ran bare hands down the hilts of short swords, long swords, daggers and so much more.

Eyes catching a Katana of interest, Kagome gently lifted it from its resting-place to further view it's attributes. Nearly more then half her height, the blade was narrow, made for swift movements and the edge was honed to such a degree that Kagome did not doubt if it could cut through the human bone. That startled her, but quickly placed it from her mind trusting her brother fully. She knew that Miroku would not place in her harms way. There was a legitimate reason for such weapons that found housing here, and it was not important enough to mention elsewise her brother would have done just that.

Fixing her grip upon the hilt of her chosen weapon, Kagome assumed a stance drilled into her fiercely by Miroku that it was like second nature to partake. Her brother had always been adamant on the ideal that she should be able to defend herself better then his own abilities would be capable of. While Miroku said that she could, Kagome did not believe herself to be a greater protector for her person then her brother. He was always there for her, always having her back in any bump that came up in her road of life. She would forever be grateful to him for that.

Lids fell shut, as her breathing evened out; behind closed eyes, she formed a picture. A brightly, burning flame. To it, she fed all of the thoughts that plagued her mind in that one moment, all of the emotions she felt in that instant until this imagined fire roared to such a soaring life on its fuel. Her body became lax, though if one tried to unarm her they would find it to be like trying to pull a welded pipe from another. This practice could also be attributed to her brothers teaching. He claimed that so many thoughts on a fighters mind causes a loss in focus, and so many emotions causes one to be an open book for ones opponent to read at his own will.

"_Don't not be stiff with your opponent," Miroku would always chastise, "move with him. Your stature does not allow you the force most of your adversaries will rely on and so you will not be able to counteract their movements that way. You must accommodate their force with a loose body."_

"_Eh?" Kagome then had shot her brother confused look._

"_Think about it like this," he answered back gently, "in a pool when you move around lightly you glide through the water without so much trouble, but when force is applied, it is like trudging through wet glue. That is what you must be like, your body needs to be the pool of water and you're opponent is the one going for a swim." Then, in warning, he said. "Though you shouldn't rely on this too heavily as there is always someone whom could break through this, and that is where your speed and shrewdness of mind come in."_

Kagome remembered every lesson taught to her by Miroku, and usually practiced her katas daily, but as of late she had not the chance to do so. Taking in a deep breath, keeping a blank mind as she fed everything into that one single flame, Kagome moved. Her start swift, but exaggerated, as she fell into a series in one of many her brother had shown her, her every muscle, every joint relaxed. She flowed like water, keeping her mind focused, as she remained with that picture in her head to help execute the action with less difficulty.

After an hour of katas, Kagome fell back into stance, her katana out before her; breathe barely uneven from her exertions. Now, she would shadow spar, which meant that she would be fighting a non-existent opponent. Another practice her brother was adamant in her taking part in. She would use her own ryu, a series of techniques taken and slightly modified, to fit her, from other sword styles. She mostly preferred Battoujitsu, for its techniques require a speedy execution, something in which she excelled at. Her second preference is any jitsu that required the use of Krodachi.

Kagome moved into position, bowing to her head towards her apparition of an opponent. During all of this, her eyes remained shut. This stance, different from the one before it, as she held the blade at a downward angle, one handily. This allowed her to block an oncoming attack with a sweeping upward motion. Such a poised position was only used in cases of a charging opponent; her nihility would be doing just that. Stepping one foot forward, she arched her blade up to meet the opponents head on, breaking backwards as what would occur in such a stand off.

In her mind's eye she saw the apparition step back as she, before starting onward tacking a swing for her kneecaps. Kagome jumped to avoid such a move, bringing her katana's edge down toward the shoulder. Behind her closed lids, she pictured her shadow of an opponent skillfully sidestepping such an attack swinging it's sword around to further stop the descent of her blade.

A slight smile formed at the edge of her lips, if only this battle was real, as then it would truly be on of her greatest fights. If only she had such a skilled fighter as this, well besides her brother whom unconsciously always went easy on her in their spars, then she truly could test out her skill.

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**_O_**ne whole week had gone by since the day he specifically told his fool of partner they would have a talk. That they needed to have a talk and nothing he could do or say would change such a fact. They still needed to have it, they were supposed to meet a couple of times every day this week and yet Miroku conveniently always found himself stationed somewhere else. His most frequent used excuse being that he had forgotten the exact time they were to meet and found himself held up with assignments given to him by Sesshoumaru. Assignments until today that is, he had thought were required of the monk to handle. Apparently, that was not the case on account of his bastard of a partner specifically asking his brother if he could handle these supposed errands that were assigned to him.

Before he sat that fool down and had his say, he would kill the damned monk.

Not that he did not mind running around the city, speeds unreachable to the human body; he was not out of shape. He loved the feel of the wind passing through his white mane of hair, feeling the air brush his skin in passing as he defied human law, as he passed by human passerby's without so much as a glance in his direction. He moved too quickly to be perceived by the human eye. What he didn't love about his current situation would be that he was being forced into running all over creation to find his partner whom was steadily ticking him off with this constant run-around.

He would tie the monk down closing off all exits leaving the idiot no room for escape, have his say and then kill him.

That sounded like a plan. He had one place left to search, one place that he had avoided going towards. Inuyasha did not really feel like brining neither too much attention to his penthouse, nor the ones occupying his once home. He never knew when someone would decide to start tailing him, it being a heavy occurrence from both his brother and the enemy. If his brother found out what he had been doing there would be hell to pay, and if an enemy thought there to be something of great importance hidden away, there were no telling what lengths, they would go to find out and obtain it. Inuyasha had no wish to ever view these lengths.

While he housed no care or connection to those claiming shelter within his penthouse -other then Shippo-, he did have deep feelings of friendship towards the monk. Miroku would be more then a little upset, he assumed from the displays he had seen of his friend, if he were to drag unnecessary and unsafe attention to those two. He still indented to find out why, but as of now he would put that on hold, or at least until he got his answers for this other act of the monk's that left him baffled. What was the purpose in hiding his information like that? Actually, he had an idea; he would be an even greater fool then what is claimed of him, if he did not. This strange behavior began around the time those two mysterious siblings fell into their laps because of an attack by 'him.' Information started disappearing, the monk's scent became distorted, and Miroku seemed to be willing to throw his life away in order to find suitable protection for these siblings. A pair that he had never heard about spoken from his friends lips until later in that night. Miroku had been always a bit closed off when it came to his past, letting only some things slip through despite his act of openness and innocence he would have every one believe.

That girl and her brother were definitely more to the monk then children of a friend to his father, that much was obvious. The monk broadcasted these truths world wide in every action he took concerning them, in every look, as he watch their action when he thought to be unobserved.

Pushing past the double doors ignoring the door attendant's polite hello, Inuyasha took to the stairs he had long since placed the concealment spell upon himself. He had been careful in how he chose to get to his current location, but you could never be too careful in a situation like this. Taking the elevator would have only allowed his trailers -if one managed to get passed his more advanced senses- to see the exact floor he had gotten off on and thus narrowing down the possible places he could have visited. Their enemy, thus far, seemed not to be one to take unnecessary risks and therefore he doubted if they would mess with a building full of innocents. Still he would not take needles actions that would give 'them' an excuse to try anything.

His speed assured him that he made it to the twenty-fourth floor with little to no effort at all, walking out into the small hall with only two doors, both leading into his penthouse. He chose the closet to his location to enter, the one that lead into the kitchen area hopping Miroku was there and praying those whom stayed there were not present now. However, he knew the likely hood of that happening.

Inuyasha's eyes looked around his kitchen area, taking in the sight as well as searching out his partner. He was surprised to see that everything was as he had last left it. The girl had not change a thing, had not added her own touch. From his experience -he was not a Miroku, but he had been known to have a nice girl on his arm more often then naught- with women, Inuyasha had found that within the first few days of introducing one to your home it was remade into the girl's own fashion. It was then that you let the girl go, as once they have interfered with your style, to add their own, it meant that the relationship was getting entirely too serious. Most waited for the time their girlfriend spoke of marriage or perhaps children, he was done the moment the girl added change to his life.

He only went into a relationship for a good time and not a commitment. He did not have problems with the word as many led themselves to believe, but more along the lines of the meaning towards it. A committed relationship lead to marriage, a factor only able to take place if the partner was able to... to love. An emotion he was incapable of producing for more then few people. His family, and then his second family which consisted of Rin, her mother and her grandfather. The last sent a pang through his heart as the knowledge of his passing filtered across his mind, another that did not persecute his heritage, that genuinely cared, left him for the other-side; the afterlife.

Love could not exist for him; it was a nihilistic promise that could only occur for him in dreams. The love of a man and woman, both ready to spend their lives together. Not in his world of betrayal, lies, and violence, and most certainly not for a half-breed. His acceptance into the youkai world was only by the force of Sesshoumaru's will, a youkai that not even those of whom thought themselves most fierce would dare to cross. A human would run in terror if he were to ever reveal himself, and if by some chance they weren't, would be disgusted to learn he was of both species.

Tossing the musings from his mind, Inuyasha turned from the kitchen and into the living room so that he would be able to make it down the hall towards the bedrooms. He froze still, dog-ears that were hidden by spell twitching upon his head. While he could hear the excited yammering of both Shippo and that other boy playing what sounded to his ears a video game, there was also the faint hiss of a blade being drawn from it's protective sheath. That was what brought worry into his heart.

Turning on his heal, Inuyasha bolted straight for the source of the sound coming to a slow walk as he neared his weapons room as not to alert any such enemy snooping around behind his once locked doors. Miroku knew how much he stressed on none but himself handling his own weapons, not wanting foreign hands to destroy his prized picks; weapons he had forged by hand instead of machine. Weapons made by the great Toutousai. To have one of his swords in your possession meant for you to be very affluent, in others words his weapons cost a mere fortune to purchase. That was why he had Miroku personally lock the room up tight before allowing those siblings to house themselves in his penthouse.

Carefully poised steps brought him to the door in which was already slightly ajar, so focused on his task he didn't pay any mind to a familiar scent that hung heavily in the air around him. That is until his amber orbs searched out his quarry through the slit; his eyes widened at the sight before him, several thoughts bombarding him at once.

The girl Miroku so fiercely protected stood in the center of his miniature dojo, two of his Krodachi skillfully held with in her petite hands as she moved artfully against an opponent that only she could perceive. Her movements were precise and swift, using a jitsu that seemed to be made up of quickly executed techniques from others along with a mixture of defensive moves. As she agilely danced an ancient dance rarely seen in the era any longer, Inuyasha noticed that she favored her right more than her left and his eyes widened slightly as realization hit home, and hard. The picture he had seen of the murdered man at the shrine appeared in his mind's eye as a long awaited answer was given to him. A right-handed person, ruling out Miroku seeing as he was left-handed, made the downward slash upon the man's neck. He had first thought to rule out the girl as well due to her small stature, but it seemed he was wrong to do so. 'Never judge a book by its cover,' a saying Rin loved to remind him of when he tried to convince her Sesshoumaru was a heartless gaki; course he knew that his actual feelings were covered up by that heartless exterior, he just liked to rile up Rin. It was amusing to see how vivacious she could get when someone badmouthed either he or Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha took a deep breath as he realized Miroku lied to him once more; did his partner really distrust him that much? That he would hide such a valuable piece of information as this. If "he" were to ever find out that it were her whom murdered his attack dogs, the girl would have a hit out on her before she could even take her next breath. The only clue in this long time fought war would be eliminated, that is if the girl really was a clue. The hanyou found himself questioning his 'friends' trustfulness, having already spewed one lie to protect her, who is to say that her knowledge of something that could possible help them, was not a lie as well? One week and Sesshoumaru still doesn't know about her, at lest not in the way that she'd be of help to them. Inuyasha did not like what this situation was making him feel, and thus pushed it aside as he took his next actions.

Pushing the door open lightly, he called out in the room startling her so much that she dropped his Krodachi from her slender hands, jumping back before the blades could impale her feet. "You really shouldn't mess with someone's sword, they could get testy enough to use it on you." He smirk at her reaction to the suddenness of his voice slicing through the once silence of the room. "You really should keep a better handle on your weapon, how will you fair in a fight if you drop it before it even begins?" His tone mocking, as he took delight in the anger that flashed across her big brown eyes for a moment.

Kagome, her brown eyes never leaving his form, bent and slowly retrieved her borrowed weapons before taking a step back to ensure the distance between them. This would be her first time alone with this stranger without her brother anywhere near. She did not know this man and though her brother seemed to, Kagome was unsure of how far she could but her faith in him not to harm her. Miroku, from their talk on the second day of living as orphans, adamantly warned her not to get involved with him, going as far as ordering her to not even remember his name. Never had she seen her brother so fierce on a matter before; it had her edgy of this Inuyasha's presence without her brother there along with him. A scowl appeared upon her face, and before she could stop her words, she growled. "I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much you jerk!" Kagome did not appreciate his insult, but his aura shined of violence and something unreadable... maybe she should not have opened her mouth...

Inuyasha frowned, not liking the scent of fear permeating her scent. On the job, he thrived off that scent coming from his prey, but off he despised it, especially in those of women and children. He was not used to having one fear him in his human guise, though, since he never went on the job in it. Only when he performed normal errands, such as shopping, paying the bills and instances like this when confronting a human not involved in the mob or one that did not know of youkai existence. "I don't doubt it." Inuyasha amended, adding. "I could see it in the way you moved a little while ago, before I interrupted."

A horrified look transformed her visage as she looked up at him through wide eyes. "You were watching me!" She squeaked. Kagome despised anyone watching her, besides Miroku and maybe Souta, as she went through the motions of her practice. It always left her terribly embarrassed, as though she had held out her diary -if she kept one- out for him to read only for his eyes to wonder over paragraphs that were most personal to her heart. Like baring her soul. Everyone of her thoughts, her inner most feelings, were laid bare as she moved through her katas.

Hiding a smile at the red that tinted her cheeks, Inuyasha softened his normal manner -not wanting to scare her even more- as he asked. "Is Miroku here, and if he's not were is he?" It was difficult to hold back all of the frustration and anger he felt towards his collaborate over the run a round he been receiving every time he tried to talk to the man. He had thought, at first, that he had made a mistake in not surpassing it all but her words set aside his fears.

"He's not here," she began unsure of exactly how to answer him. Miroku had warned her not to get involved with this man in any way, shape, or form and yet she couldn't help but offer the guy a meal. Even if this 'Inuyasha' had violence coloring, his aura there was something else about the silver hared man that stayed her hand from following Miroku's order. "Stay and eat, he'll be back to check on us latter in the evening, you could catch him then." Perhaps it was the way in which the child, Shippo spoke of him, as though he was a savior on a white horse or maybe... she did not know. There was just something in they way he held himself, the look of him that forced her to ignore her brother's words.

Inuyasha couldn't help the look of surprise that he was sure filtered across his face at her offer, not use to such generosity from people other then those he consider family. He was hungry, he had to admit, and after traversing the entire city looking for his baka partner, he had worked up quite an appetite. Finally, after no more then a second's consideration, he nodded. "Yeah, why not, what you eating?" He looked on curiously as thoughtful frown crossed the girl's features. Entirely to trusting, letting a stranger eat in her house along with her brother and Shippo, he concluded. She was naive.

"I don't know." She shrugged sheepishly, "it'll come to me once I get to the kitchen." Knelling, she carefully sheathed the Krodachi, lovingly caressing the sheath before placing it back upon its stand. Her favorite weapon. She turned to see Inuyasha staring at her thoughtfully, forcing herself not to blush, Kagome walked past him to the kitchen and leaving him to follow at his own will.

Catching up to the raven-hared girl, Inuyasha watched as she milled about his kitchen like an expert. It was as though it was her own kitchen, how well she moved within it finding everything without having to check twice. Taking a seat on a barstool at the kitchen's island, Inuyasha drummed his disguised claws against the countertop. "You're right handed." He remarked, as though absentmindedly. Inuyasha wanted to make sure his eyes had seen right, before he came to conclusions. Jumping like that could get you killed faster than standing still as a man shot you with a handgun.

"Yeah. What does it matter?" She replied to his question, asking one of her own as she filled a pot she had gotten from under the oven with water. She was going to make spaghetti; it was both hers and Souta's favorite foreign food.

"No reason."

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**_O_**ne whole week he had stood vigilance over the comings and goings of the apartment complex across the street from his own building. The structure of his temporary residence stood stationed at the near top, allowing him to watch when a silhouette and sometimes an actual image passed the window of the penthouse atop the complex. Through careful investigation, he had found that was, where his query resided.

Though it were rather boring to sit and stare out a window all day with a pair of binoculars in his grizzled hands, the visitors of this unknown specimen of his study had were quite interesting. He often found himself questioning the importance of the two that he watched by the frequency in which they had these little visits. Miroku Higurashi, presumed to be that mob bosses second in command found himself there every morning at a approximately seven-thirty and every night around eight. He had first thought they were more then acquaintances, but the son of the traitor never stayed the night, or long enough to complete the act for that matter. Unless of course he was swift about it, the thought brought a harsh chuckle from his throat.

A few minute intervals between the time Miroku Higurashi left and eight A.M. a one Sango Tajiya escorted the girl and boy to school. Surreptitious digging found him the names of his mystery assignments, along with the whereabouts of this school Sango Tajiya brought them to every week day morning. A guarded secret they never let out into the open, despite her innocence of being a pretentious schoolgirl, the agency knew of her secondary life in the shadows of the night.

Such curiosity this case brought to him just why exactly did the two-need protection from such a world-renowned assassin as herself? He continued to observe the uneventful entrance and windows, before dropping the binoculars to the ground with a clatter in his shock. Large sausage like fingers moved to grip around the cell in his coat pocket, hitting the speed dial button before bringing it up to his ears. It rang for all of two seconds before a voice made itself known over the earpiece. "What is it?" A surly old tone commanded over the line. A sure sign that he was not quite in the mood for nonsense. The news he had to tell would make him smile and giggle with glee, he thought.

"It would seem that the second fish has come up from his ocean." He replied smugly, as though he were responsible for its happening.

"What the in a seven hells are you talking about?" Came the confused voice, an irritated edge to it that cut through his mind better then any knife. This man was not someone you wanted to annoy, and, better yet anger. Beings have disappeared without a trace after having crossed him on some of his better days in one fashion or another. "I told you to watch those brats, not fish you moron!"

Laughing nervously, he replied to his boss's words. "I meant, Sesshoumaru Shikaku's brother seems to have an interest with these two. He's just entered the building, and with my equipment," the binoculars, "I was able to see what looked to be him passing by a window." Currently he was watching the window now, waiting to see if he might catch a better look.

There was a contemplative silence over the line; breath heavy in his ear as he waited for his answer. "Does he now." The old man breathed a statement more than a question. "As much as I am curious to know why they're so interested in children, I can't let this opportunity pass me by. You know what to do." The line went dead.

A grim smile to up residence upon his face as he stared at the telephone. It was times like these that he regreted his decision in joining this cause, but then again, the power he would receive from it was a compelling motivation even if a few innocents disappeared every now and then. Pocketing his cell, he placed down the binoculars and stood to take care of his newest assignment.


	12. Waiting

**_A/N:_** I hope you all enjoy this next installment, and don't forget to review!

_**Thanks to everyone whom has review so far, I wouldn't have likely come back to finish this story if it were for you guys! I just didn't have the heart to leave you hanging after all of the wounderful support and help you've all given me! **_

_**So this chapter is dedicated to you, my wonderful Reviewers, for without you this story might have died!**_

Don't worry though, I really do like this story and I wouldn't dream of leaving you all to wonder how it may have ended.

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**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Inuyasha

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

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**_Chapter Twelve: _**Waiting

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**_H_**is gaze took in the physical appearance of his secretary, carefully weighing the differences he had been seeing slowly surface within her over the last week. She was a bit more bubbly then usual, and secretive. That was what bothered him the most, the idea that she might be keeping something from him willingly, purposefully. "Rin," Sesshoumaru spoke softly, "is there something that you wish to tell me?" Though his words sounded as if he were asking a question, he was merely demanding an answer for her strange behavior as of late; and she knew it as well. He could see it in the way she flinched at his words, the air around her altering into something mysterious, cunning.

Shifting through the files in her arms, she handed him the deal he had specifically sent her to fetch not to long ago. While he followed the more notorious side of society, to the rest -to the authority mostly-, he was the typhoon of the technological world. This company, he had owned before this entire ordeal occurred, he used to filter through dirty money made by less then legal means. Sometimes he would launder money for others, as a favor, to gain ties and to make the twenty- percent he would receive from it. Having a high-ranking alley came in handy when he, or one under him or in his family, found themselves in a tight spot. The file Rin had for him was the shipment time for the newly made tracking devices meant to go to the men that 'maintained' order in Japan; the police. Manufacturing such equipment had it benefits in helping the cops turn their eyes to his crimes, as well as came in handy to the fact that he knew how to bypass all of their security measures. Underlying that information were those of the suitcases containing the money, he had hidden away on that cruse, for filtering at the company. One such client that would be reaping the benefits of this shipment, happened to be one Bonkotsu of the Seven Brothers in the agency working for 'him.' The arrogantly stubborn man was not easy to get in his pocket, but every man had his price.

Rin waited a moment for her boss and near brother to read over the contents of the file before speaking. "Where would you get an idea like that?" She questioned, her eyes straying towards any surface and object, anywhere but the inu youkai's face. "I'm hiding nothing at all." A statement they both knew to be what it was, a lie, and an aversion to the truth.

Raising a dubious brow, Sesshoumaru grunted. He knew that look in the young girl's eyes well, and how could he not? Having known the impetuous human since her birth he knew that nothing he said would move the girl, the unyielding set to her face and fierce look to her eyes speaking volumes if he even tried to pry the information from her. "I see that you're set against telling me anything." He commented, an edge seeping into his tone that caused her to step back. She was acting, as Kagura had been the entire week, despite their broken friendship, where they working together in this? Sesshoumaru did not like this defilement of his laws by the two of the closet beings to his heart. "Might you be willing to tell me if you and Kagura are working in this together?" Her genuine look of bafflement was enough of an answer. "Is what you're in detrimental to your health?" He queried, wanting to know if he would need to steep in despite her strong will for him to let it alone.

"I haven't any idea what Kagura is up to, we've not been on speaking terms for a while." She snappishly answered his unasked question, a tad bit of sadness entering her tone as she thought of her and Kagura's failed friendship. She hoped to one day have it mended, if it could be. "And I don't see what business it is of yours, if I was hiding anything; that's if I where hiding anything, which I'm not." Taking a breath Rin turned on her heals and called over her shoulder as she egressed from the office. "I can take care of myself." She declared, taking the final words before he could shout anything at her disappearing form through the double doors of his office.

Sesshoumaru groaned silently once she was out of the room, slumping down in his chair. Why was it now that the only two women in his life decided they did not need him to fix their problems any longer, that they needed independence in their lives? He could remember like it was only yesterday when they were coming to him with dilemma's that needed solving instead of just going about it solo. It was just little over a week that this all began... how he hated this. The man he had following Kagura's every move proved to be worthless, as he could not find him any suitable knowledge as to what could possibly be going on with that insufferable woman.

His golden gaze roved over the documents that were handed to him before Rin stormed from the room in upset at him seeing through her small deception. He was, despite his will to tamp it down, greatly ill at ease with the thought that the two most important women in his life were in some type of trouble yet refused to speak with him about it. Intransigent in their want to stay their hand at asking for his help. It was unacceptable, an offense he would not allow to pass by idly without his influence. Sesshoumaru barely registered the perfectly typed words he read as his thoughts continued to tread upon a different, infinitely rockier, terrain, at least in this moment. He mentally noted to re-read the document within his grasp, that he had neglected for a more personal and overwhelming problem. Perhaps he could have Jaken -his accountant- read them over and then brief him of the contents later, that, or force Inuyasha for his trespasses. Sesshoumaru sorely believed that neither of this would have happened if his brother had not encouraged Rin to find her own Independence from him, thus spurring Kagura's want of working 'out in the field,' as she called it. Yes, Inuyasha would be buried in paper work instead of this constant slacking off he'd allowed in order for his brother to handle some of the more shady aspects of the business per the hanyou's will.

Letting a satisfied smirk cross his visage, a smile that would have had had many falling to the floor pitifully pleading for their lives, until a revelation hit. He could have Rin followed and maybe, unlike the man he had on Kagura, this spy might actually find out something useful. Straightening his back, Sesshoumaru reached over to grasp his telephone when it rang before his clawed hands could fully close around its neck, or handle. Putting the telephone to his ear, he demanded to the mouthpiece for whoever was on the line to name their want. "What is it?" Of course, this person had to call now when he had been about to handle some other rather important matter, it always happened that way for him recently. Nothing had been going his way this week.

"Sorry if it's a bad time." Came the hushed voice through the earpiece. His Irritation was quickly forgotten; Sesshoumaru listened intently to the speaker, knowing by the sound of the voice who spoke to him. "I've gotten through word of mouth some information that'd be worth while to you, for a price..." He let the sounds slide of his tongue like silk, holding it a few syllables to unnecessarily enunciate the last few words.

"Give me the information, and if it's 'worth while' I won't take your life for interrupting my work." Sesshoumaru growled a dangerous, utterly murderous, note underlying his angrily spoken words. That he dare demand a price for information that by right should be given to him for free, by the circumstances in which he and this man began working together under. The faint chuckling over the line brought a growl vibrating his chest into higher clarity. It was by sheer will that the telephone did not crush under the quivering grip of his left hand; how dare he think a warning from the might Sesshoumaru to be funny.

"Calm down, I was only joking." The voice commented offhandedly, only furthering in fueling Sesshoumaru's anger, and furthering in lengthening his own greatly torturous demise. This time the tone flowing through his ear canal held a more solemn note to its words. "I think it may be a trap, there's no possible way he'd find himself in this type of situation. It sounded fishy to me and I think they wanted their mole to get this to you, I don't believe he'd allow anyone to..."

Anger fading, Sesshoumaru spat in distaste. "Just tell me your information so that I can continue what I had been doing prior to your... untimely interruption."

After hearing what he had to say, Sesshoumaru slammed the telephone back into its cradle. Cursing Inuyasha for his stupidity, he stood from his seat nearly running from his office and down the halls ignoring inquiries, of the brave souls, on to what his hurry might be.

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**_K_**agura stared unseeingly at the paper work that littered her desk. This entire week she had been ignoring Sesshoumaru, and it would not have bothered her at all, if her doing so had not given him the idea that she had found her way into a dire situation. One such situation that needed his immediate attention, no matter the amount of denials that met his ears. That she was reluctant to have him absolve her problems for her, sighing, she leaned back, ignoring everything else going on around her, suspiring even more when she felt the bun tied atop her head loosen with the action. Her only problem was something he refused to fix. Kagura did not want this boring old desk job tailing a man only when he was in the office, or some other place located in the building. She wanted to be out there following her partner on the front lines, not doing exactly as she had before when she'd been Sesshoumaru's secretary. How was she to prove herself to the overbearing chauvinistic pig -a tittle which he really didn't deserve as his views that seemed to follow along those line really only applied to her and Rin- that she could handle herself if she never left her chair?

Looking to her left at the tap upon her shoulder, Kagura found a stout, balding little man trying to stare down at her as he awaited her acknowledgment. "Yes?" She queried. "What do you want?" Her tone was bored; dismissive as she lazily scooted from her laid back position. She really was not in the greatest of moods to be dealing with her 'colleagues.' A people that she loathed for their underhanded dealings, though it wasn't fair to damn them all for it as not every agent was working with 'him'. She had met quite a few whom were absolutely kind to her when she first arrived, and still showered her with kindness whenever they glimpsed hr in passing.

A slight look of distaste crossing the older man's visage being the only sign of his offense to her tone, the man continued on as though he weren't effected in how she addressed his presence. "Akahito-sama wants you in his office." He spoke monotone, turning to lead her to the said destination, never once looking over his shoulder to see if she did in fact follow.

A reluctant look to the eyes that watched her curiously was all the stalling that she had done before giving in, taking long strides to catch up to her guide to the bosses office. Kagura had only once before stepped foot into the old man's office, and that was nearing little over a week ago. She doubted if she would be able to find the room again as she had paid little attention to the directions, she and her last chaperone, had taken her the first time. She memorized details this time, floors, hallways, as they walked in heavy stifling silence. Why are the quiet times such as these always carrying such an awkward air? Why did one always hold such a strong need to speak any amount of words just to break it, as she felt now? An often-pondered question that left most whom sought an answer baffled, as it left her while she thought about it only to take away her discomfort in the silence.

A tap from her shoulder again brought her from inward remising. Blinking a few times, Kagura's gaze fell upon the short and stout old man glowering upon her. Grumbling beneath his breath of 'air headed women that had no business being an agent, and rude to their elders to boot.' Kagura rolled her eyes at what her ears were picking up. "Well, go on through them doors." He grouched. "I ain't got all day." Not even waiting for a reply or to see if she actually entered the imposing double doors of the office their boss resided, he went on to the business he had been interrupted from for this heinous task of a secretary.

Kagura glowered at his moving form, grumbling beneath her breath. "Grumpy old geezer." Pushing past the two doors with little thought due the annoyance clouding her vision and fueling her movements, she marched straight into her boss's office with little regard to the secretary waiving her down. Kagura froze once her sight came to rest upon the old man sitting behind his leather seat poring over documents. He set them aside and looked upon her with lazy, question. "Um..." she began trying to think of the man's name, "some one said that you wish to see me, sir."

A tenebrific light transformed his eyes, causing her to horripilate. She could feel the tiny hairs of her neck rising even further at his toothy grin, portraying something not wholly right. What was wrong with her boss this day, so different then the man he was the other two times she had to face him. "Ah, Kagura." He spoke as though he just remembered an action that normally would have irritated her only severed to further her unease. She knew that he did not forget he was only acting as though he had. Why? "Sit." Hesitant to move so close to him, she obeyed and took the seat in which his hand indicated. "You have been under my employment for little over a week, and yet the shrewdness of your mind shows greatly in the work you perform. It is something in which I need in my more secretive missions."

"Sir?" She questioned.

"To the point I see." He grinned, and Kagura -oddly enough- found herself, wanting to shrink away from him. "I want you, Kagura, to join my specialized team against the Shikaku brother's. What do you say to that?" He queried, and she leaned forward suddenly interested. It was a man in the government in which Sesshoumaru was trying to find his reasons for going into the less refined part of society. Perhaps she could find her way of proving herself in gathering information that can be of use to Sesshoumaru and then he would see her as more then his secretary. Then she could do real work preferably a job such as Miroku's. Though she was not a cool headed as the monk, she would be able to handle the other heads of their society just as well if not better. "I take it by the interested glow to your eyes that you will take it."

"Yes, I will have it, sir." Kagura replied. Finally, she was getting some recognition for her skills. Now all that she needed was information that could help, and for Sesshoumaru to never find out. He would never allow her to go through with this. He would force her to take back her acceptance and decline the offer. Fire lit behind her will, shown through her ruby eyes, Kagura would not let that happen. If the taiyoukai ever found out he would have to physically fight her tooth and nail to drag her from the task of proving herself.

"Good." He grinned with a twisted and knowing light that made her rethink her plot. Perhaps having to work much closer with her boss was not a desired side effect. "Your first order of business would be to make way over to Kyoto, on second to the apartment complex there. I have it on good authority that the youngest brother of the two is in that building along with some people they are harboring, an informant informed me that someone blew it up with him side." Her eyes widened against her will as she held her breath in horror. "Your assignment is to go down there and question witnesses about what happened and whom might have committed the act. You're dismissed."

Kagura stood on shaking legs, but managed to exit the office and out of her boss's sight before bolting through the building, moving between coworkers to find the exit and see for herself if what he said to be fact was truth. She prayed it were only a prank, that Inuyasha was intact. Sesshoumaru, she knew despite his hardness towards his brother, would break if it were not a fabrication of a prankster.

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**_H_**e listened carefully behind the secret door to everything that his grandfather spoke to that woman, to Kagura, and he stiffened. His grandfather could not possibly be as heartless as that to have done such a disciple deed as having children to suffer through such a horrific end. He did not want to believe that with his whole heart despite its whispering to him that his grandfather would. The man lived in a world with it's own set of rules, such moves in this game were only minor offenses into creating a bigger picture. The endeavor in which he takes his father's place and brings together the world so that he could be the one supreme ruler over all. It felt wrong to him, yet he would do it, if only to honor his father's memory and make his dream a reality. A dream, in which he was killed for, killed by the Shikaku brother's. Still he did not believe that innocents should die, as his grandfather seemed to, for the goals to reach an end.

As soon as the woman left the room in a daze, He pressed his hand onto the screen scanning his prints to allow access. Entering, he ambled over to stand positioned before his grandfather, practiced stoic expression well in place. "Tell me, grandfather, that you had nothing to do with this. You and I both know the apartment complex in which you claim is the 'target of a rival making to send warning,' was home to a little girl and boy." Clenching his fits in to tight balls, he demanded in a very controlled tone, baring anger, and frustration in its undertone. "Say it grandfather, say you had nothing to do with his!"

Chucking darkly, His grandfather bit out his reply. "This should teach you, grandson, not to defy me!" Akahito, Houjo -his grandfather- stood from his oiled leather seat, but did not come anywhere near to towering him. "Especially not in front the men, you do well to respect me and my say. You should have had them killed for their failure, or at the very least showed them harsher punishment so they would not allow such again. They would have done well to remember the pain, it might have kept them steady in their missions."

Moving a step forward, he questioned appalled. "You'd do such a despicable act for such a foolish reason."

Houjo smiled, dry lips pulling over teeth that shown with saliva into a smug look, as he reclaimed his seat, folding wizened old hands over his lacquered desk. "I did nothing grandson, it is your disrespectful actions that have seen to it these children died young instead of old and gray within their beds. They died a death meant for wretched men in stead of the peaceful sleep most dream of, most hope for." His dark eyes sparkled with a cruel light as he stared down his grandson. "Had you not done what you did those... children... would be enjoying their young lives about now." The old man mocked, seeming to enjoy the inner turmoil rolling around his grandson's chest.

His clenched hand fell slack against his sides as his eyes widened in horror. "No, I... you are the one who-."

"Who gave word for it, yes, but you are the one whom inspired it. You are the reason for this happening. Grandson, you might as well have slipped the knife through the rib cage, or detonated the bomb in this case." His grandfather spoke out cruelly. "This incident rides upon your shoulders, you are responsible, I just hope that it teaches you to be more courteous in the future and listen to your old grandfather when he speaks."

Horror stole across his face as the heart within his chest nearly beat itself from its confinement. Those two small innocent lives destroyed in the most grotesque way all because of him... _no_! He denied fiercely, _I... it's not, its... my... fault. _He wanted for more than anything to curl up into a ball and hide from the world forever. He was a monster; he killed the lives of children, he allowed for them to die when he promised himself that no more innocents would wed death for his venture. Not after... not after, breath stalled in his lungs, he needed to get out of this office. He needed to be away from the sadistically grinning face of his grandfather; most importantly, he needed air: the fresh air of the outside world.

Backing up one, two, three steps, he turned sharply and egressed the way he had come. Running down the narrowed halls as though something far worse then the hounds of hell were chasing him. He was running from haunting memories of the past, familiar faces, and those made up by his trickster of mind to taunt him for his latest fault. He ran, and he shut his eyes against it. Yet, the whispers were still screaming at his ears, reminding him of what he had done years ago. The foolish mistakes of boy that severely wanted the love of his grandfather: the recognition. To see pride, love and joy starring back at him. He had no idea that being entirely the man his grandfather wished of him would weigh so heavily upon the soul. A sin so great, it sheared his heart, beyond repair and left him with an inseparable stain of blood visible only to his eyes, upon his hands.

Those hands shook now, and he refused to look at them as his mind whispered. No! As voices of the dead whispered to his ears, goading him, they wanted him to remember they wanted him to relive the horror he had amassed and to see the blood upon his hands to which he made flow freely. When he awoke from his coma, he had been innocent; stainless... he had the mentality of an eight-year-old. He had no idea the meaning of death, had not the slightest clue the anguish it would cause his soul were he to do as his grandfather wanted. Before he would always refuse, his heart telling him not to tread upon this wrongful sounding ground. Yet, he wanted to be loved. He wanted the love of his only remaining family. He had heard it said somewhere, 'a desperate man would do anything for the love of his family.' Even the ultimate sin... this pushed him and eventually forced him into agreement. Words he heard whispered in the back of his mind with no face, no memory to place them with.

_Watching through the window of 'limousine,' the man whom claimed to be his grandfather called the car, he watched the people amble about this city minding their own personal lives; watch the buildings fly by in unabashed awe. He felt foolish doing so, but could not help it, he had never seen such sights before. At lest he did not believe so. He remembered nothing before waking up and seeing the face of the elder man he now rode the limousine beside. He had been told of a fire caused by his sworn enemy, the same men that had killed his father, now tried to murder him. He was suppose to be trying to live out the dream of his father, yet something nagged at the back of his head, something wholly wrong and unsettling. It had been for awhile, ever since waking and hearing the story of his father several weeks ago._

_"Grandfather," he spoke suddenly, "what is death?" His father had died, but he did not know what it meant. His grandfather wanted him to kill, and yet, he had no idea as to what the elder man wanted of him. Inside whispered of horrors he could not yet comprehend, while a part of him only wished to see his grandfather look at him with love than how a man looked at his tool in a work belt._

_"Your sixteen years old boy and you don't know." The grandfather scoffed impatiently. They were late, or so his grandfather claimed, to where ever they were heading. The old man had been yelling threats at the diver the last few minutes to speed up and get them there faster. He mostly ignored all of the words, though, he hopped his grandfather would not be this crabby all the time. He did not like it, and it scared him slightly._

_Shamefully, he admitted, "I don't remember," so that he could hear the answer._

_"It's like falling into a deep and never ending sleep." The grandfather sighed finally._

_"Is it painful?" That was one out of two of his biggest fears._

_"Of course its..." Grandfather began roughly, and then stopped softening the word, "not. It's just like going to sleep, it doesn't hurt does it?"_

_"No." He replied, and then asked the second of his fears. "Is it bad?"_

_"Only if the man you kill did you no wrong, the men we kill are all evil. They deserve to die."_

Somehow, with the answers provided, he did not feel at all comforted. Still, he thought about the words and used them to block out the voice that whispers of wrongness in actions, his conscience. He was a sixteen-year-old boy, with the mentality of an eight-year-old then. It had only lasted a month, that type of innocence. He had it ripped away from him like the teeth of a starved lion sheering its prey, meat, guts, bones and all. He paused in his running and finally gave in after having made it part way down a mostly deserted street -a strange phenomenon during this time of day- and allowed his eyes to traverse down to his hands. He had to hold back against the vomit that wanted to spew fourth from his stomach. His hands... they were covered and dripping with dark crimson essence. He swallowed hard and forced those very hands into his suede jacket to be blocked from his view, and the view of others. What if they could see it as well?

Was it so wrong to want the love of one's own grandfather?

Apparently, it is a heavier sin then any he had ever read about, at least it was for him. The wickedness he had performed with his own two hands. They wanted him to remember, and they would not leave him in piece until he did.

He wanted them to leave him be and let him wallow in his own self made pity. Clear where the memories in his head, despite the many years between now and then.

_The smooth and soft metal against his palm shook as he held it eye level to aim at the woman his grandfather wanted him to end the existence of. She would not hurt, so he would do it because her and her husband had wronged his grandfather and like the old man said... 'She and he deserves the sweet oblivion death can only give.' Still, he was nervous, and because of that, his arm shook throwing of his aim to a slight degree. Her eyes pleaded with his own; he ignored it as his grandfather said. The soft tilt of her voice pleading for life was dealt the same courtesy. "Please, please... don't do it, don't... don't kill me."_

_A hesitation no more then the amount of time it would take to blink ones eye, and pulled the trigger with a resound _bang. _The shrieking, horrific and anguished sound of her pain permeated the air and cut through his heart surer then any arrow evey could; even with the best marksman behind it. Blood spilled in gushing rivulets from the area of entry and he felt sick as his eyes watched her fall to her knees eyes wide and boring into his own with silent accusation. His grandfather had lied to him, he had said that it would not hurt. _He said, he said she would just fall asleep_, his mind screamed in denial of the grotesque scene he had created with own two hands._

_Another shot was fired, but it was not from his own gun, and felt it move pass his ear and collided with the wall behind him. That bullet was a breadth inch from making its mark, only put off by the rage and grief shaking hands of a now widower husband. Fear filled him as he stared into the black empty eyes of grief and ire so fierce. This combined with the knowledge of true death had him scared to such a degree that his heart ceased to beat and his limbs prickled as they froze up. Instinct to survive took over and he shot the man before he, himself, could be killed. He did not want to experience what he had forced that woman to undergo._

_He dropped the gun. "Mama... papa...?" Tears pricked at his eyes when the full weight of his actions occurred to him, he had orphaned a child. Dropping to his knees as though dead weight, he placed his hands on the profusely bleeding wound and tried to stop its avid flow. He pushed on it, used her clothes to cease it from pouring out, it would not stop, and even if it had, it would not matter. She was already dead. His grandfather taught him how to shoot for the kill. They were both dead, and they were not coming back._

_Their combined life essence seeped through his fingers, colored his face, and stained his clothes; still he moved to wrap his arms around the crying child. "I'm sorry." He whispered repeatedly like a broken mantra. Those words eased nothing of his own pain, and they did not comfort the child. He killed the boy's parents; they were not coming back, as he was sure the child had realized by now. "I'm sorry." He began to rock with the child, back and fourth, back and fourth..._

That was how his grandfather found him much later, the man of whom he had sold his soul to gain the love of. Love that never came.

Slowing his walk, he moved to the pay phone and dug change from his pocket, closing his eyes against the blood shadowing his hand, he paid the machine. Dialing quickly the number, he hid his limb once more so he would not have to look at it. He waited for what seemed a lifetime before a voice questioned over the earpiece. "This is a 911 operator, what is your emergency?"

"I...I," he took in a breath to replenish the air that had been robbed of him through his run, "send an ambulance and fire truck to second Ave. on Kyoto, apartment complex Sanson. A bomb has been set and may have already gone off killing thousands..." this new thought brought him pause and he mechanically hung the telephone upon the cradle. He was responsible for more then two deaths now, more then two children. Walking down the street in a daze, his feet carried him down the sidewalk. A slow pace as his mind took in the incompressible knowledge he placed upon himself. His pace hastened and when his mind came back from the dark depths of despair, his eyes found a street sign that read Second Avenue.

Stiffening, he considered turning tail and running back home to wallow in the dark of his office and to stare out the window he so loved his sanctuary from the world. No, he would go the park, it had become a new type of safe-haven for him; one his grandfather had no knowledge of. He would go there, eagerness filling his body, fueling his movements he turned to walk down the street that would lead him to peace...

_Bang!_

His heart stopped it avid beats, his breath catching and his ears filling with that one hollow sound, while his sights sat upon smoke billowing up from the building a ways down the block he occupied. Frozen to that spot, unmoving, sound blocked from his ears, and sight unfocussed. Words and that ghastly noise were the only sounds he was aware of. The sight of billowing smoke and flashes of the past were all that filled his sights. He felt nothing but the blood of the slain slicking his hands and filling his senses.

_"Grandfather, what is death?" _

_"Your sixteen years old boy and you don't know." _

Pedestrians pushed past him to see what had caused the commotion, throwing careless questions toward him as they ran for his knowledge the matter. He did not hear them, did not feel them nearly knock his body to the earth as they moved by. Fire engines roared through streets at immeasurable speed, the wail of the vehicle sending warning of its coming followed by that of the ambulance and the police. It was as if he were moving through water, distantly he could hear, blurry was his vision, and softly he could feel almost water brushing his skin.

_"I don't remember."_

_"It's like falling into a deep and never ending sleep." _

_"Is it painful?"_

_"Of course it's... not. It's just like going to sleep, it doesn't hurt does it?"_

_"No. Is it bad?"_

_"Only if the man you kill did you no wrong, the men we kill are all evil. They deserve to die."_

Flames brushed his skin and ran to be rid of them, but they would not leave without satisfying themselves with singing his flesh. Crying out in pain, he bolted down the street running from the memories that hounded him, the visions that would not leave his mind. Unrelenting in the apparent task of driving in the fact: He was a murderer, he was helpless, and he was unable to save his father. The face of a woman flashed before his mind's eye, but he blocked his eyes against her before he could identify contours. He would see no more fabrications of the silhouettes to the one he killed this day. He would not allow them to haunt his mind, yet the pushed and ambled across his vision despite his will against it.

_"Please, please... don't do it, don't... don't kill me."_

_"Mama... papa...?"_

Suspiring so heavily he felt as though he were hyperventilating, he dove for the first bench in the park that his eyes caught sight of. He wanted to hide from the memories, hide from the faces, hide from the accusatory words. He wanted to hide from his evil and his grandfather's lies. Curling up so that his arms wrapped around his raised legs and his head upon his knees, he shut himself from the world around him, but it did nothing for the thoughts circulating within. He wanted them to stop anything for them to stop. For the images to cease their glares and pointing of fingers, to forgo damning him to the horrid fate he knew that he deserved, yet feared in taking. The voices would not stop. He rocked back and forth, whispering for end to it all.

_"Kill him!"_

_"He's only two years old!"_

_"Brother... brother!"_

_"You murderer, murderer!"_

_"They died a death meant for wretched men, instead of the sleep most hope for because of you."_

_"Murderer!"_

_"If you do not kill him then I will!"_

_"No! I will... I'll do it, but give me sometime alone."_

_"Monster!"_

_"Murderer!"_

"Haku?" A hesitant sonorous voice cut through the darkness of his madness, forcing him to lean backward and open his eyes to the visitor. "Haku are you all right, is something... wrong?"

Swallowing hard -trying to fix his suddenly parched throat- as tears misted his vision, Haku replied almost inaudibly. "I've done something horrible, Rin." She would help him; she would take away this pain.

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**_B_**ursting through the large, dark, metal doors of Sesshoumaru's office, air puffing from her lungs and hair that long ago fell from her bun lay in a matted mess around her face from the sweat of her exertion.

Masking the start the entrance had caused his heart; Sesshoumaru looked up from his paper work only to find himself startling more. Never had he seen the, primp and proper Kagura look so disheveled in his entire life. No, he took that back, there was that time when he had been forced into the a mud fight by Miss proper -the nickname he had given to her when they were but children- to defend her honor. Apparently, Inuyasha had called her a nasty girl, being the gentleman, he claimed to be, Sesshoumaru gallantly stepped forward to teach his brother a lesson in manners. Really, he had only agreed just for the chance to shove some mud in his brother's face. In the end, more mud ended up on Kagura then the two brothers.

Standing slowly, from his leather seat, Sesshoumaru demanded steadily. "What happened to you?" If his enemies had lain a hand on her, then that enemy had just breathed his last. If it were an agent, then the same would be true, only the death would a take a bit more finesse and time to complete.

"No, of course not." Kagura snapped, agitated, and then clamed herself. Her nerves would not help in telling him this news. "I'm sorry." She said faintly, making way over toward him past his desk almost mechanically. "On the job, I found something out today." She threw out vaguely, trying to bide her time until the perfect way into telling came to mind.

Accreting her entire bearing, Sesshoumaru eyed her warily. Something happened; he could see it in the aversion of her gaze from his own. "What would that be?" If Kagura lied to him about this, he would grabbed her by the throat and force the truth from her! However harsh the action might seem, he would do it if only to keep her safe in the end. She was so stubborn at times that she was blinded to reason. It infuriated him, and at the same time challenged his own wit.

"I heard it said that Inuyasha's pent house had a bomb planted in it and-" the words were hardly out of her mouth before she was held tightly in Sesshoumaru's grasp.

"Which one, and how long ago?" He demanded his tone a harsh growl as his eyes bore molten lava into her own. It was a frightening sight, and it took all of her strength not to shrink back in fear. Seeing this, Sesshoumaru loosened his hold, but did not let her go, as he tried valiantly to soften his eyes. "Tell me please." He said, making his tone a whisper in hopes of hiding the force behind it. A worried brother's force and though he may act as though Inuyasha were naught more then a bother to look after, he still cared. The hanyou was all that he really had left of his family. Already he had lost two mothers and a father, did he really need a brother added to the list. Granted he was only a half-brother, but did that really matter? Bonkotsu had said that there was plot against Inuyasha, that a man had been following him, that they planned his execution however he had also found legitimate proof that the spy had failed and so cusred himself for not being so thorough. In this line of work, such an action of miss calculation could cost dearly, and it did.

Grabbing her wits about herself, Kagura replied just as faint. "The one in Kyoto, about three hours ago. A call came in, it's how we knew."

Slowly Sesshoumaru nodded, drawing his limbs away from her arms, and with his immeasurable speeds dashed from her and through the double doors of his office. The only tell-tell signs that he had walked out the door and not vanished in to thin air were the slight shift in the breeze and the still vibrating doors that had been slammed shut. Waking from the daze his abrupt departure left, Kagura made to follow him, knowing the comfort he would need later least a blood bath be formed from any who treaded dangerously on his thinly laid façade. It had been the same for his mother.

**_It_** was unusual for the streets of Kyoto to be this calm, to have but a few beings traversing its sidewalks and ridding its rode ways. The sun was setting beyond the western horizon, causing the sky to appear as though it had an angry open wound. Never had Miroku seen such dark reds in a sunset before, it made it all themore beautiful to look at. He slowed his steps that much fewer, wanting to savoir this moment knowing, as he knew the trouble he was in with Inuyasha. It was not really that knowledge that dreaded his heart so, but that the dog could find out the true relations between Kagome, Souta, and himself. If that were to ever happen, he would be a dead man, and who would help his siblings then? Who would protect them? He certainly could not place the whole burden upon Sango's shoulders, knowing that if he were to ask it she would bare the responsibility upon her back without complaint. It was not hers to bear.

Looking down at the dark haired cinnamon-eyed woman at his side, Miroku said airily, to hide his thoughts. "You did not have to come with me, you know, I would have made it fine on my own." Normally he would have used this point in their walk to make a less then noble comment, perhaps woe her, a bit with his beautifully constructed sentences, made to charm any woman guaranteed. His thought pattern did not allow him the will for it, the want, or the strength.

"Do you want me to leave?" She challenged dangerously, and it was in the hidden notes of her tone that he realized a mistake had been made.

He shook his head vigorously against it, quickly gabbing up her hand. "And have you deprive me the company of a lady; never!" Then, he brushed his lips against her knuckles. Perhaps he was not entirely too distracted for such commentary.

"Maybe I should leave," muttered Sango as she took her hand away.

Miroku only smiled, turning to face the apartment building. He would visit his brother and sister before hunting his partner down for their talk. A talk he really did not want to have. _Bang! _The harsh sound ricocheted around the nearly deserted street, freezing Miroku's heart to such a painful clarity as the scene slowly unfolded for his eyes. Flames billowed out from the top story window, bursting glass and causing it to rain down on unsuspecting side walkers. Miroku ignored all of this, rushing as fast as his feet could carry him into the building, glass bleeding his flesh as they streaked sharp edges across his exposed skin.

He had to get inside, it was not too late and he could still save them. Kagome and Souta were fine and all he had to do was rush in their and bring them out, just as he had when 'his' men broke into their shrine home. Hands grasped a hold of his shirt and pulled him back, and another enclosed around his forearm, but he would not be deterred. Miroku was the big brother, the protector and he would not fail them when he had promised to keep them safe. Pushing against whatever held him steadfast, he tried to move on. Nothing except his destination existed for him, that, and the pain that was ripping his chest to tiny shreds. More hands grabbed at him, keeping back. Miroku shoved more, he had to save them, and he would not allow anything to get in the way of that. He would not lose everything that mattered to him and he would not break the vow that he had made his siblings.

Why would they not let him move, could not they see he needed to go? He needed to be inside that penthouse to bring Kagome and Souta from the burning building, not down here fighting for freedom of movement. A sharp sting across the cheek brought him from the madness he had fallen under and with a blink and look around he saw a few cops on each of his arms and Sango holding his middle tight. He noticed the fire engine and ambulance, saw the rush of men going in and out of the building and hoses shooting water at the fire to douse the raging flames.

Miroku fell to his knees, Sango with him, still holding tight. The police gave him uneasy looks before leaving the two to grieve in peace. Miroku felt something building up with in his chest, pushing against his eyes, burning, and soon he found himself a rush with tears. He could not make them stop no matter the amount of force he placed into it. They were gone, his siblings, the only family he had left burned up in the flames.

Someone had just taken his bleeding heart from the protective care of his ribcage, and shredded the origin before his very eyes. Horrid scream wretched itself from his pated lips as he curled in on himself in pain, while Sango could only sit by helplessly while a piece of her savior whithered away and died.

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_**A/N: **_

I appologise deeply for the horrid cliff hanger, however it was important to the story to leave it this way so I hope you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me… if you can't then I survive the death glares I'm sure your all directing at the screen hoping to fry me to a crisp.

Is it getting hot in her… or is that just me?

Anyway the next chapter might be a little bit in coming, like a week cause I haven't quite come up with anything I like, though I do have something great inmind. Of that I can assure you! I just want everything to be really good for you guys

Hope you all enjoy this chapter, and review! Oh and the peoples whom have asked me about Rin/Sesshy parrings in another fic, well all of my fics except this one are Sesshy and Rin so go check them out if you'd like! And if you see any mistakes let me now and I'll fix em.

Zonza


	13. Commiserating

_**A/N: **_

Sorry, this came out two days later then what I had originally planned for. I was set back after foolishly trying to enter what my brother claims is his room at night to rouse him for a reason I don't even remember. Suffice it to say, my foot got caught on some wires and down I went landing with my eye upon the corner of his nightstand. Luckly nothing was wrong with my eyesight, I only got bad blackeye as well as large bruise on the bridge of my nose and a fat lip after my tooth went through it. Also, split the skin under my eye with impact as long my pinkie's nail.

I'm okay now, I heal very quickly only five days and nearly every thing but the black eye had disappeared. Anyways I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and if anything is misspelled or wrong grammatically feel free to tell me so. I had such a major headach while writing this chapter that it was hard to concentrate on such things.

I want to say thank you to those whom have reviewed my story as well as to those whom have read it. Apparently, if the hit counter thing is correct then way over 500 people have read it. Amazing, huh?

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**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Inuyasha!

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

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**_Chapter Thirteen: _**Commiserating

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**_As _**the fires roared in background, and debris fell from the building all around them, Miroku stared upon the scene with unseeing eyes, as though he were not even there. It had already been an hour without a single reaction from the man, and it was beginning to worry Sango. Yet, all she could really do was continue to hold on to him, and let him grieve. They both shared something now, they had both lost a sibling to the fire; they were both alone.

Suddenly Miroku stood to his feet, unbalancing Sango and causing her to fall upon her bottom. Looking up first in indignation, and then resignation towards his pain until her eyes sought his own. He looked determined, set, and soon he was off again attempting to make way into the smoldering building. She grabbed hold of his leg trying to stop him and he yanked back hard trying to umblance her; she refused to budge. "I have to go," he spoke in forceful rasp, "I'm their aniki, I promised I would always be there for them."

Sango shook her head roughly, and held on tighter. "Please, houshi, you'll only get yourself killed!"

He pulled more, taking her with him as he moved an inch a second, slowly closing in on his intended target. "I'm their big brother!" He shouted his voice dripping of the pain that had floored him moments before, "if I can not save them then I deserve to die!" She had to let him go, he had to get inside that building before it burnded to the ground, before it took his siblings to the grave where he could no longer reach them, touch them, feel their warmth and love. That thought alone was enough to cause bile to rise to his throat and he swallowed roughly to force the acrid taste back.

"Miroku!" The young brunette screamed stilling him surer then a slap across the face, that was the first time she had ever spoken his name. "How can you be so selish, do you really think they would want you to die because of them. Do you really think that they would not live with regret the rest of their days thinking its their fault that you died!" That seemed to take the fight from him a moment and he slumped to the ground causing her to breathe easier. _Maybe_, she thought a bit over hopeful, _maybe he'd see now that he can't do anything for them, that he needs to leave it to the authorities. He's not Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha, he's not near indestructible._

"You don't understand, Kagome and Souta are all that I have left." Then he stood again atempting to make way toward the burning building slowly being smothered by fast working firemen, only this time when a hand drew him back sharp claws bit into his clothed flesh. He winced against the pain, wondering dimly when Sango had ever had such sharp nails.

"No, I don't understand," the words were deadly soft and Miroku was forced to turn around and stare into in the eyes of the eldest Shikaku brother, eyes that sparked red signaling his tender grip of control. If need be he would fight this Taiyoukai inorder to make the necessary path towards saving Kagome and Souta, they were worth far more to him then his own life. The sacrifice would be well worth it. "What happened here and where is Inuyasha?" Upon seeing the monk frivolously fighting against the taijya's staying hand, he had heard that last of the converstation not quite grasping whom they spoke of. He did not relish in knowing that more secrets were floating around his more trusted, he pushed the thoughts aside. If the monk was not on the inside and they were not mourning his half-sibling then perhaps Inuyasha had not been there after all. _Then he is alright_, at that thought anger at the mongral set in, _how dare that worthless cur make the great Sesshoumaru crumble in worry_. Then cursed himself for such a thought, he was immuned to such human weaknesses as as fear and worry.

"Inuyasha…" Miroku murmured, his chest filling with anger at the thought of his parnter alone with his unprotected and innocent sister. Once he made sure that, his sister and brother were alright, he would the be sure to get a word in with that sister preying half-youkai. Then it occurred to him that his partner obviously visited the penthouse looking for him and that if Inuyasha was infact there, then it could be assumed that his siblings were safe without a hair misplaced upon their heads. He calmed down at that thought and made use of the idle mussing to ease his sheered heart from its painful grasp. "I didn't even know that he was here, he's probably still there." Inuyasha knew how to detect a bomb with ease, he breathed heavily through his nose, and with that left the anxities holding claim over his body.

Sesshoumaru raised his fist to knock the monk across the face, and would have done so had Kagura not placed her hand upon his arm to keep it from moving. "Stop, violence will not help anything," the wind youkai chastised. "Look, Miroku, there was a call that placed Inuyasha in that building," her ruby eyes flickered briefly towards Sesshoumaru before returning to the agent turned mobster. Her heart went out to the man, though she held a slight dislike for Inuyasha she knew that the two brother's cared deeply for one another even if it were not politically correct to do so. One brother was a full youkai, the blood of a legened flowing through his veins and already by his own marits was the strongest leader of the underground society that existed beneath the human world. Inuyasha on the other hand was only half, the blood of the legened flowing through his veins offering him slight protection from assasination attempts that most of his situation would be plaugued with, Sesshoumaru's reputation offering full protection. However, neither of those stopped the world from hatting him, neither of those made it okay in the eyes of those in this society for the younger brother to be shown any emotion other than disdan. "When was the last time you saw him?" She demanded. Her reasons for not liking the younger Shikaku were completely different, a grudge from their younger years, she would never wish to see Inuyasha dead.

Miroku shrugged sheepishly, his heart growing more at ease with that thought of his partner carting his beloved siblings away to saftey. Now was the time for business, now was the time to figure out whom set the bomb and why. Did 'he' know of Kagome and Souta, and did 'he' know of their conections and maybe perhaps realize that the two might have some idea as to what their father might have taken. Worry stole his features to a frown as he answered the question. "I've not seen him since we spoke to the spider the last time around." Trying not to fall prey to the powerful eyes of the Taiyoukai, Miroku kept his gaze to the wind sorcerer.

"Houshi," Sesshoumaru spoke powerfully, "if you are not here because of my half-brother, then why are you here," he took a delicate sniff of the air, "crying before a burning building." The supposed monk gulp audibly, at that noise he steeled his resolve to drag the secret from the human's throat whether it killed the man or not. The inu-youkai was fed up with secrets and he would hear no more aversions and deliberate changes of conversation, for once, he would have the truth he sought. "Tell me or you won't live to breathe another day, why would you mourn so deeply for children you claim to hardly know?" He snorted at the other man's slip in emotion as his eyes widened a fraction in shock. "I am not stupid Miroku, I know of the two you pulled rank to obtain safety for. I was quiet, patiently waiting for you tell me why because you are my most loyal third and Inuyasha's best friend, however I wait no longer. Things have fallen beyond that point."

"I…" Miroku began and then stopped, there were too many people around them too many ears to hear the conversation. "Not here, back at your office I shall tell you every thing. You're right, things have gone beyond the point for secrets now. If we are going to find the bomber, though we both know that it is likely 'him', the truth must be known." He conceded and shared a glance with Sango that did not go unnoticed by the youkai and he was sure that she knew the secret and that annoyed him. It would make sense that she would now the situation surrounding the siblings she was charged with protecting, another order that had been given over his head. He snorted in resentment.

Before Sesshoumaru could answer, a cold voice broke into their discussion. "I should have known that you would be involved Shikaku-san, for all the world you try to appear innocent but I know you for the rat you are." The youkai's eyes narrowed dangerously, it was too bad that the human before him did not know that he was speaking to a mythical beast, for if he had then his life would have been forfit. He ruled the western half of the secret society and those humans that awaken to the truth, and so in their world there would have been no punishment should he have made the man disappear for the insult. "If I find one scrape to pin you to this, I swear that I'll have you behind bars faster then you can blink." The little blad man boldly threatened.

Kagura snorted. "Hardly," she bit out, "how dare you insinuate that he had anything to do with that! His brother may have been in there that was his home, show some respect you sniveling little worm!" She was frustrated with Sesshoumaru for his lack of faith in her ability; she was upset with the thought of Inuyasha dying despite her grudge and the inu-youkai was upset that his brother might have died though he tried not to show it. All in all the day had not been good and she was not in a great mood to be dealing with know it all men of the law. She tried to keep herself tall, regal even, as those eyes of Sesshoumaru bore unto her. Such a heated looked he put upon her that she could scarcely believe her flesh had yet to self-combust.

The man sputtered angrilly, "How dare you, you bit-" before the words were even out of his mouth hands were around his throat keeping him from breathing normally. In other words, he was choking.

"I would not finish that sentence were I you." Sesshoumaru let the unsaid threat hang in the air as he shoved the DA to the ground and turned on his heel in the other direction motioning for Kagura, Miroku, and Sango to follow his retreating form. After walking for quite a bit, seeing as he had run the entire way followed by Kagura there was no car to make the trek easier, and was sure they were an adequate distance from the burning building he turned a glare upon the wind youkai at his side. "Do not do that again, this Sesshoumaru does not need protecting."

Kagura narrowed her eyes at the man, she had done as much before, and so it was obvious that the possiblity of his brother's death coupled with a serect he was not privy to had him over reacting to her act. He may try to deny it, but she knew the man better then he knew himself and so she could easily see were the comment sparked from. The taiyoukai never refered to himself in third person unless of course he was quite upset, and her action was not enough to spark such a level of anger. "This Sesshoumaru may not need protecting, however this Kagura will, despite what this Sesshoumaru thinks he may need, she will protect those of whom she carse for whether this Sesshoumaru likes it or not!" She finished firmly.

The silvered haird youkai's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Do you dare to patronize me?"

"If you're going to take your frustrations out upon me for doing absolutely nothing then yes, I do." With those words said she made a show of spinning upon her heal angrilly and stalked off back towards the bombing site. "Don't follow me, I need time to cool off." She declared purposefully over her shoulder knowing that Sesshoumaru would not attempt to do so. Yes it was a stupid argument to be had and yet it was the first thing that had come to mind that she could use to find her escape. Kagura also knew from experience that, if she could pour enough anger into her scent, the proud inu-youkai would not come charging after her demanding for an explanation. They had done that once and the result had not been pretty, so when one stalked off to cool down the other usually did not follow. Thus it was the perfect plan, and she would get back before anyone could question why she had not been doing her job, or perhaps why she had not performed her job at all.

An amber slitted gaze followed the wind youkai's back as she strode off with the all the dignity of a queen, then slide toward his two near silent companions slitting even more with anger. They were unsuccessfully trying to hide their humor with the situation, and he would silence them. "Unless of course you want to join those whom have fallen from the tender caress of my claws then I suggest you keep as you are otherwise wipe all humor from your countenance." He threatened lowly, managing by a tender thread to keep from referring to himself in the third person as the level of his ire rose.

Sango merly nodded trying to keep her face from his sight and he would have to settle for that, as he could not very well take down his best due to a little embarrassment. Miroku, however, was suffering from loss and so his tongue was not nearly as guarded, as it would have been under normal circumstances. "The humor is gone and so now your pride may rest." His eyes winded as though realizing what he had just uttered, slowly, very slowly he turned to peek at the mighty youkai that looked ready to take his head. Miroku really did not relish the thought as he had grown very fond of it right were it was. "I… uh-" before he could come up with a suitable reply his words were choked off as a clawed hand wrapped around his neck in much the same fashion as it had to the detective.

Sesshoumaru breathed deep, trying to calm his irritation at the insult and not kill the ex-agent trying to remember that he was the only one that could enlighten him as to why his brother's apartment had been bombed along with other things. Though there was always a chance that Sango knew just as much, he could not take the chance and so forced his hand to release its vice like hold. "You are lucky, Miroku, that the information you may posses might be too important to know for your death to occur by my hands. However," he puased with a wicked grin to let his monotonous words to take an ill effect upon Miroku's person, "should that not prove the case I will maim you terribly for that comment." The desired effect was evident when the monk shivered violently and then merely nodded to show his understanding. The inu-youkai turned on his heel and motioned them to follow after. "Come, there is no time for this usless dawdling, we have things to discuss." Sesshoumaru allowed a desecrate smile to form upon his lips when his ears heard the taijya berating the monk for foolishly speaking out as he had, taking a morbid delight in the man getting yelled at by the woman he held a vast adoration for.

_**"H**aku?" A hesitant sonorous voice cut through the darkness of his madness, forcing him to lean backward and open his eyes to the visitor. "Haku are you all right, is something... wrong?"_

_Swallowing hard -trying to fix his suddenly parched throat- as tears misted his vision, Haku replied almost inaudibly. "I've done something horrible, Rin." She would help him; she would take away this pain._

_The dark haird girl swiftly came forward, dropping the bags in her arms; she fell to her knees beside him. Concern for the man filled her vision and she, boldly, took his face in her hands forcing him to look at her. He had helped her feel slightly better when she had fallen into a deep-rooted sadness when her grandfather died, so she would return the favor and help him. Swallowing hard, she spoke with near the same volume, "what do you mean Haku, what have you done?" From the very broken look marring his features, she was truly afraid to find out._

_"Can't you see it," he held his hands before her eyes his own leaking tears unrestrained, "can't you see what I've done, can't you see the blood." Suddenly he took the hands away, ripping his head from her hold he barked harshly. "Get away from me, I don't want to see your blood here too, I don't want to hurt you too!" He stood, or at least tried to stand but Rin had grasped his shoulders, and despite the fact that he was much stronger, he did not use that force to get away. Instead, he stood there as though she had the power to incapacitate him, and waited, waited to hear her speak again. "If he finds out about you, he'll take you away from me, if I do something wrong he'll take you away from me. To punish me."_

_Honestly, Rin was terrified, yet looking upon him with the tears on his face the pain pooling in his eyes as though an endless ocean she felt her heart given in to him. "What do you mean? Haku, who will?" She probably should have left him there like he wanted as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha would have certainly agreed with her and would not have faulted her in doing so. There was something definitely wrong, not something small, and not something trivial, it was big and dangerous. It was something that she should not be trying to involve herself in and yet she couldn't help, she was drawn to those in pain feeling as though it were her soul responsibility to heal what ailed them. She had done the same for Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru in her younger years, as well as for Kagura when they had been friends. Even Miroku, though she could never reveal that to the two Shikaku brothers, not with out mentioning the several times he had tried to grope her while she tried to help him work out his problems._

_She had feeling that this might be something she just could not fix, still that did not mean she would not give it one heck of a try. She felt her determination grow greatly when he turned to look at her with such a lost expression, he looked like a little boy, and grasped her hands tightly. "I just wanted him to love me, I did not understand what he was asking. I didn't understand, I only wanted his love," he fell further to the concrete ground dragging her down with him, "I just wanted his love, I just wanted his love, I just want his love." He murmured those words brokenly as he grasped her around the middle, and it wasn't until a few minutes of listening to the heart breaking mantra that she suggested for him to come home with her._

She watched him now from her place in the doorway, watching him lying in the middle of her floor before one of the largest windows in her home the outside air washing over him blowing anything loose enough in it's passing. He looked so at peace that Rin was glad that she had allowed him to move her furniture around in order to find the perfect place to lay and watch the sky through her open window. She observed him a few moments more before walking into the room and sitting down in a large plush chair that no longer obstructed part of the view through the window. She also sat down the tray she carried upon the coffee table that had also been moved to accommodate her eccentric guest, it was ladden with two mugs of hot chocolate. In these cold winter months, it was a wonderful treat to have around, even if it was not snowing yet, and she only hoped that Haku would enjoy it as well. "I brought you some hot chocolate." She offered gently, smiling to offer comfort. On the walk to her, home they had not talked, and the only words he spoke to her were in question of whether or not it would be okay if he rearranged her living room.

"Though I've heard of it, I have never before had hot chocolate, however I would be honored to try the treat you've made." He sat up slighly, took the steamy mug from its place upon the try, and took a sip mindful of its heat smiling brightly after having swallowed. "It's good." Setting it back down he looked back at her and though his lips were smiling, still his eyes were shadowed with the same pain she had seen weakening his entire form at the park. How she wished to remove such a look, no one should have to live with such agony always looming out behind them. She was startled from her thoughts when he took her hands in his own trying to drag her from her seat. "Lie down beside me," he intoned and seeing the slight hesitation that crossed her visage he added, "I only want to show you my peace."

Rin did as he asked moving with him; she laid down beside him upon the carpeted floor looking out her window marveling at the sight her eyes now held. The sky was rolling with storm clouds, lightening flashing within the dark mass illuminating the open expanse for breif amounts of time grumbling before showing its light. The wind blew in through the window over her body over her face, along with the rustling of the leaves and low grumbling, she felt as though her soul was relaxing within her frame. She felt completely and utterly at peace, her muscles' metled from their tensed stand at being so close to the man and breathed deep entering a sort of drowsy state. He and she lay in this serene position a long while before words were exchanged. "I'm sorry if I frightened you earlier," Haku murmured the apology, "I just kind of fell under the pressure of my life."

Mustering up her bravery, Rin found herself questioning, "what sort of pressure?"

Haku chuckled humorlessly, "the kind that I refuse to burden you with."

Turning onto her left side, she propt her head upon her hand and was looking thoughtful. "What if I don't feel it's a burden, would you tell me then?"

Haku did not answer for such a long time; eyes shut as the wind washed over them, that she nearly lost hope in having an answer. Yet, when his voice permeated the silence she nearly jumped out of her skin. "I, after having lost my memories, of not remembering ever being loved, desperately wanted to have the love of my grandfather." He paused and then abruptly turned his back to her, and she had a feeling it was his way of putting a physical barrier between them as he spoke his troubles. "I did anything I could to gain that love, even hurt people." He curled in on himself and let out shuttering breath, whimpering and for a moment, she thought that he might have been crying.

Fearing that such an action meant that he was no longer going to speak of it with her, Rin said swiftly, kindly. "Thats understandable, you were young and probably scared, so that's understandable. How could you possibly be faulted for that?" She winced as she saw his shoulders tense horribly, and feared that she had spoken the wrong thing. Opening her mouth to say something else, he interrupted before she could say a thing.

"Not its not," he bit out bitterly, "nothing I did was right, nothing I did should be justified by the mere statement of wanting my grandfather's love. I think that no mater what I do he'll never grant it to me, sometimes I think that he is incapable of love. Still a small part of me holds onto the thought of him speaking the words to me, of telling me how proud he is of all the things I have accomplished in my father's name." Suddenly he gasped, stood, and crossed the living room nearly all in one step, "I should go, my grandfather probably wonders where I am."

Rin found herself standing faster then she ever likely had in her life, grabbing onto Haku's arm to stop him from leaving her home. "Don't go," she shouted and then lowered her voice, "don't go." She pleaded again, fearing that if he left her now he would not return. Fearing that if he left her now she might never again have the chance to ease the corporeal pain hovering about his person. The thought of Haku continuing to live with such pain churned her stomach, "stay, you shouldn't have to walk home when it's storming." She pleaded, trying to reason with the dark haired man.

"I really should be going," he whispered pitifully, his words claiming without true voice that he too wished to stay and yet for some reason was trying to talk her into letting him leave. "My grandfather, he doesn't like when I'm gone for too long."

Rin shook her head ruefully, "no, he probably won't care so long as your not out in that." She spoke almost forcefully pointing toward the open window, the winds moving violently about thunder and lighting carting across the skies, rain beating downward toward the earth. "Stay, I have a spare bedroom." She added as though that information alone would be enough to sway him.

The dark haird man paused, considering, leaving Rin to wait in hopeful anticipation of his answer, and then finally said, "I guess that it couldn't hurt. My grandfather, he might understand." That being said, Haku allowed the now ecstatic girl to lead him to the spare room, speaking excitedly of the movies they could watch and the games they could play claimg that this would be the first sleep-over she had ever had. Smiling at her antics, he decided he had done right by choosing to stay and hoped that he could bring such joy to her eyes in the future contritely adding. "This would be my first too, at least of what I can remember."

****

****

**_T_**he room was dark, almost frightening from the worsening storm that could be seen from inside through the two rather large widows at either side of their leader's mahogany desk. The blinds were drawn up and so the little illumination cast by the lightening made the stoic face of the man to seem rather ominous. The two other occupants of the room shivered horribly before taking their seats with a reluctance that did not go unnoticed as the resigned themseleves to take what may come for their actions. Drumming fingers ideally in the deep-rooted silence, the man behind the desk ventured to ask. "I, though I reluctantly admit, am the one seeking the information and that means that you need to speak so that I may have it otherwise I shall just take out my threat here and now. I am not a patient man, and I believe that being such I have been patient long enough giving you this past week to say something other then lies." He bit out bitterly while leveling the two of his operates with a well-placed deadpan glare.

Calling a calmness to over take his body, the same type of serenity he offten found right before coming to blows, Miroku spoke solemnly. "I apologize, however what I have to say isn't exactly easy to say right out and requires a bit of finesse," and he found himself hurrying right along to say what needed to be said at the look his boss gave him. One that demanded he hurry, one that seemed to say that he care not for the level of difficulty it would take for him to get the information out. "Yes, well, as I was saying… the day you are aware of when I had gone over your head and placed the two siblings into protective custody I also did not mention they might have bore witness to a conversation. Or even that they might know of the information as to what my father may have died for."

Sesshoumaru slammed his fist down upon the desk hard, causing things to shift, rattled and fall to the floor, shouting, growling really, in anger. "How dare you keep something so important to yourself, we could have used that piece of knowledge, but since you have seen fit to keep this Sesshoumaru in the dark our one chance at ending this nightmare may have perished in the flames of my brothers penthouse." Clenching fists tight, he was silent for all of a moment before the ex-agent found a clawed finger in his face, the male youkai shouting angrily once more. "My brother may have died for nothing, this all might have been avoided if you had not been so foolish, what do you have to say for yourself." The scorned brother spurted in fierce rage.

Taking the words in stride, Miroku replied to the demand as though he had not been interrupted, keeping to the aloofness he was well known for under the extremely infuriated Taiyoukai. "The attack upon them was by 'him,' and the most essential information in all of this would be that Kagome and Souta are my siblings, they are my brother and sister and I do not regret what I have done. I would do it again, I would do anything to protect them." He met his superiors gaze unflinching.

Sesshoumaru felt himself calm drastically under such a steady look, seeing in his operate the same undying brotherly loyalty that he himself felt towards his own half-sibling. Unwillingly, he had to admit, if grudgingly, that were he in the ex-agents place the actions Miroku had taken might have been reciprocates of his own. He was not, however, about to admit to such a thing openly and instead went on to aproach this new piece handed to him carefully. "I wasn't aware you had any siblings, I do not recall you or your father speaking of anyone other then you," he lied. He could not quite recall if either of the two made a mention of more to their family other then a son, father, mother and grandfather, despite that he continued on, "but that doesn't matter. For now, I will not punish you for your actions, I understand them, such is human nature, however if you do not tell me everything you know, if they are not alive then I will before forced in to taking actions that you and I will loath to happen." He finally spoke his sentence hanging heavy in the air.

Miroku merely nodded. "I understand."

"Good," Sesshoumaru nooded toward the Taijya, "and what exactly is her involvment in this, was she aware of anything other then the order to guard your brother and sister?"

The man opened his mouth in response; however, Sango felt the need to speak before he could cover for her. She would not let the man whom had saved her from such a horrid fate fall down this route alone; no she would accompany him despite its foolishness. She stood abruptly drawing all attention to her stopping her savior from speaking, "I, too, knew this information."

The monk slapped a hand over her mouth before she could needlessly condemn herself any further, earning an indignant growl and a glare from the girl saying sheepishly for the display. "She didn't know any of this until I spoke of it to her just this morning, I had a guilty conscious I guess and felt the need to ease it." He added, sending Sango a look, telling her not to speak another word. He had done enough to her already, snatching the innocence from her, making her the assassin she is today, giving her little choice to be anything different. Miroku could still recall the look upon her face the first time she had claimed a life, well it was the aftermath, but she had been terribly shaken by the act. The tears cascading trails down her cheeks would forever be engraved upon his memory and because of that he would allow no harm to come to her. He would not let her throw away her freedom, and possibly her life, to ride the same boat as he. Though it was likely only to be a minor token punishment, he could not be sure, if Inuyasha were to die as a result of his keeping secrets Sesshoumaru might not feel so inclined to be so forgiving.

The inu-youkai nodded his head briefly. "Hai, I believe you speak the truth, as your scent speaks no deception. Though," he added, "I find it mildly amusing that you so wish to partake in his punishment. I, despite your wish, will not grant it as such reprimanding will only be given were due. You've done nothing and so you are free to do as you please, you on the other hand," he spoke to the monk, "are not free to do as you please. You will be required to stand to my aid untill Inuyasha has returned, if he returns, were we shall fix the mess you have created. I alone will not mend what you have rented asunder." Sesshoumaru spoke finality to his words that made neither of the two dared to question his say. Not that Miroku would quesiton the Taiyoukai; he had been expecting much worse in the ways of discipline to his person for his failure to follow the rules of his leader strictly. "That, monk, shall be attempted by your own two hands per my guidance."

"Fair enough," Miroku answered, "it is only right that I should fix the problems I have made for everyone rather then allowing for you to handle them for me." The ex-agent eased Sango back into her seat slowly taking his hand from her mouth, turing to the don with a near apprehensive look. "Since I am commanded to your aid, what is it that you will first require of me." Sango snorted, ignoring both of the men as she silently stewed in her own rage, mentally berating them both and planing to give the so-called monk a piece of her mind when she had him alone. The inu-youka's next words had all the anger draining from her completely; she watched her saivor superstitiously, watching carefully for how he took to the words.

"I require for you to mourn the loss of your siblings, though they may not be dead, we have no time for such things and so it is best for you to get your mourning out of the way so that your feelings will not interfere with business." He knew that the words were cold, but they were necessary, as their society could not afford any of the slip-ups that might come with a mind clouded with thoughts of newly deceased family members. Such slips could cost them a high number of men, including the ex-againt himself if he was not too careful. A loss that would not do for their operations seeing as Miroku was a major part of the solution.

Miroku understood, though he did not appreciate the harsh words as he had finally almost convinced his heart that Inuyasha had them stowed away somewhere in safety. Such sentiments were needed, and he merely nodded, voicing his acceptances of his first task. Sesshoumaru having said that they were dismissed, Miroku stood swiftly catching Sango's hand and carting her with him roughly passed the office doors of the tough youkai. He understood, being the oldest sibling as well, that Sesshoumaru needed his own time to mourn, his own time to curse himself for his inability to protect that which he should have been able to keep safe flawlessly. There was not an older sibling alive that would not feel ripped apart at failing in their universal, birth given, duties. Once completely, out of earshot he rounded upon the assassin. "What were you doing in there, had he not been feeling so generous, you might have found yourself saddled up next to me upon the executioner's chopping block."

Sango balled her fist at her side; "I was being truthful, besides I wasn't about to let you face his wrath alone. Especially not after hearing, that Inuyasha might also have been killed." She spoked fiercely advancing upon the slightly taller man, "if you think that after all that you have done for me that I would let you just walk in to a lion's den with out so much as a tidbit of aid then you have another thing coming." She was nearly nose to nose with the man, her narrowed eyes daring him to defy what she just said, and her finger jabbing into his chest for good measure. "Besides, who are you to tell me what I can and can not do?" She demanded just as fierce.

Being so emotionally drained from all the happenings of the day Miroku found himself rising to the occasion, and was coming back with equal force as all of the calm he could muster was used on Sesshoumaru. "Who am I," the ex-agent raged, "I am the man that found you, I am the one that brought you into this life and though I loath it I am the one whom made you the assassin that you are." He shook his head and wrapped his hand around the finger that had been poking his chest, eyes narrowing determinedly as they gazed down at the young brunette woman, cinnamon eyes boring into his own in shock. Despite that, he could not stop himself now that he started, it seemed that this day was all about getting hidden secrets out into the open. "Because of that, because I brought you here, trapped you here, stole the choice you had at a normal life, I will not allow you further entrap youself to this life by actually handing it over to the society for something you had no hand in. For some reason Sesshoumaru decided to show mercy and for that, I am grateful, for if he had not you might have joined me in a graver fate then I am now faced with." His gaze found elsewhere to focus upon as staring into her stunned face became too much and he could not help but wonder if she too would realize finally that the sum of her misery had been entirely his fault.

"Is that what you think," she barely was able to choke out, and she swallowed hard. "You baka," were the faint words reaching his ears, "I don't blame you for this, I'm actually grateful to you. If you hadn't of found me I would still be at the orphanage purposely attracting all the unwanted attention to me so that the others wouldn't have to feel the shame, misery and horror. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have the momeny to save them from that place and provide them with a home where they would feel more love then such a place as an orphanage could ever offer. I like whom I am now, and I don't feel as though I've had my choice stolen from me."

During her speech Miroku found himself whipping his head around to stare at her as though she had grown a second head, "how could you say such a thing?" He demanded, and grasping her shoulders in almost a painful grasp, he nearly shouted at her trying to find understanding. "I saw the look on your face after your first kill, the tears, and the utter anguish etched unto your every contour Sango, your face that day will forever be seared onto my memory as though with a hot poker." He murmured, taking a finger to lightly push back the hair that had fallen to the front of her face behind her ear. "How is it that you seem to forget now, how is it that you are so forgiving?" Sango felt her heart speed up at the words, at the tender gesture, did he truly feel so strongly about this?

"Because," she spoke with the same strength of the ex-agent, "there is nothing to forgive," she reiterated, "I feel that you've slighted me in no way to deserve the resentment you seemed to think I have for you."

"But your face," he protested.

"It was the first time I had taken a life," she answered loftily to hide the fact the it still shook her to the core, "that's not something that any person with a conscious could do without the tiniest bit of remorse. I still feel remorse over it, I'm not cold, I'm not heartless, and I'm not quite use to this society. I've only known of it for the past three years, but I'm still only getting use to it. Still it's a much, much better life then I lived at the orphanage."

Miroku hesitated for more then a moment before nodding his head, he still did not agree with her, he still felt that he had stolen away her precious innocence. For now, however he would no longer speak of it. "Come," his words were bitter in his mouth, "I must do as Sesshoumaru bids and mourn."

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**_I_**nuyasha could not help the look of surprise that he was sure filtered across his face at her offer, not use to such generosity from people other then those he consider family. He was hungry, he had to admit, and after traversing the entire city looking for his baka partner, he had worked up quite an appetite. Finally, after no more then a second's consideration, he nodded. "Yeah, why not, what're you eating?" He looked on curiously as a thoughtful frown crossed the girl's features. Entirely too trusting, letting a stranger eat in her house along with her brother and Shippo, he concluded. She was naive.

"I don't know." She shrugged sheepishly, "it'll come to me once I get to the kitchen." Knelling, she carefully sheathed the Krodachi, lovingly caressing the sheath before placing it back upon its stand. Her favorite weapon. She turned to see Inuyasha staring at her thoughtfully, forcing herself not to blush, Kagome walked past him to the kitchen and leaving him to follow at his own will.

Catching up to the raven-hared girl, Inuyasha watched as she milled about his kitchen like an expert. It was as though it was her own kitchen, how well she moved within it finding everything without having to check twice. Taking a seat on a barstool at the kitchen's island, Inuyasha drummed his disguised claws against the countertop. "You're right handed." He remarked, as though absentmindedly. Inuyasha wanted to make sure his eyes had seen right, before he came to conclusions. Jumping like that could get you killed faster than standing still as a man shot you with a handgun.

"Yeah. What does it matter?" She replied to his question, asking one of her own as she filled a pot she had gotten from under the oven with water. She was going to make spaghetti; it was both hers and Souta's favorite foreign food.

"No reason." He tossed aside carelessly, keeping his tone flippant. Therefore, he mused thoughtfully, this meant that more then likely, she was the one to kill the two men his brother had shown him. The main question left to be answered was why his stupid partner seemed fit to keep him in the dark in regards to this little secret.

The girl spun on her heel smiling brightly, "there must be a reason for you to ask, you just ask something like that out of the blue, unless of course your weird." She added, turning back around she began to fill a large pot full of water, and for a moment Inuyasha thought that she was going be preparing ramen but was disappointed as she began to collect unknown ingredients that had nothing to do with his favorite food.

"Then maybe I'm just weird." He answered offhandedly, his disguised ears twitching at a noise down the hall that caused him to smile breifly. Shippo knew he was here. He was proven correct when not a moment more the very human looking kit came bounding around the corner latching himself around Inuyasha's neck takling so excitedly that was difficult to understand. Still, he humored the boy, acting as though he was hanging upon every word. The hanyou kep an ear and eye trainned on the kit while sparing an ear and an eye for the brother and sister duo that watched their antics. The brother wistfully and he could not help but wonder why, while the sister watched them with such a strange look to her face, on might call it soft but there was something else there that would qualify it for another name. A name that was teetering at the edge of his mind, but not readily coming to the fore for the disguised male to recognize. "Oi," Inuyasha interrupted him before the dull ach at his temples from the child's chattering could grow to anything too painful, "so I take it you like it here?"

Shippo nodded vigorously, "yes, I like it very much." Suddenly, as though realizing there was an audience, Shippo blushed looking toward Kagome and then Sota and back again. Then he smiled, "Kagome I have something for you," he slipped his hand into his vest poket and pulled forth a folded piece of paper, hopped down from Inuyasha and moved toward the girl handing her the piece. "I made it for you and Souta helped." He announced proudly, his voice beyond chipper.

Kagome accepted the picture with a smile, carefully unfolding the piece, her smile brightening when her eyes sighted the kit's handy work. From what Inuyasha could see from his place, or the place he moved to at her left, there was a surprisingly skilled doodle of what he was almost positive was the girl, her brother, and the kid himself. "Oi," His utter shock causing him to interrupt before praise could even be handed to Shippo, "I didn't know you could draw."

The kit looked up timorously, cheeks tinged with a bit of red, he said hesitantly. "I didn't think you'd care, you never seemed to like that type of thing."

"Keh."

Abruptly Kagome gathered the kit into her arms hugging him tightly, "I love it Shippo," she crooned setting him down, "I think it'll look lovely over here on the frig." She added taking the drawing and placing aganst the refrigerator door holding it in place with a magnet. Inuyasha had to hide a smile as the the little kistune beamed proudly, chest practically puffing at the girl's nominal action, he had never seen the boy quite like this and now he was finally feeling at ease with Miroku's decision at bringing the kit to stay with the two. He watched their interaction opting to fade into the background, this was the first time he had ever realy seen Shippo so at peace that he was able to freely act his age, and so he observed as the girl filled the kid's ego praising his skill. Finally, she gave both her brother and his charge a tight hug telling them both to go play so that she could finish making dinner. Inuyasha could also say he had never quite seen such eager looking faces as they speed to do her bidding making demands that she hurry over their shoulders, and it left him to wonder at her prowess as a cook. His stomach rumbled at the thought. She watched them leave a fond smile alighting her lips, and she turned back to her task seeming to forget that Inuyasha was even in the same room as herself.

Not wanting to be forgotten, yet entirely immersed in watching her work, he settled for making himself comfortable in one of the four barstools the lined the island of his kitchen rather loudly yet making it look accidental. She jumped spinning around quickly, a timid smile coming to her this time and she seemed to be mentally berating herself for not recalling that he was still in the room. Ascertaining that she was caught in mental duress, seeming unsure of whether she should feel embarrassment at being rude, or angry with herself for forgetting his presence entirely Inuyasha spoke to break her from it. "So, what have you decided to make?" He queried; violet eyes following her every move as she put ground beaf in a pan while leaning over to set the water in the pot to boil. Water that he had seen her, while he remained out of her thoughts, putting oil, galic, salt, peper and oregano into the pot stirring it well.

She smiled, and he was beginning to realize that it was a large part of her personality, but her smiles seemed to hold something deep down. There was something raw and painful hidden deep beneath her smile, and he found himself trying to guess at what it might be. "Have you ever had foreign food?" She questioned in turn.

"Keh, other then the crap my brother tried shoving down my throat, no." He responded dryly, Sesshoumaru was big on French food, though Inuyasha thought that it was in part due to the fact that he hated the stuff. He was never big on snails, and a cow's tongue and brain were not his idea of a mouth-watering meal. In fact, his brother never ate any of the meals opting for some type of French noodle dish, or near raw meat, and everyone was well aware those foods of that grotesque nature were meant only as means to irk Inuyasha.

Kagome nodded thoughtfully, "then I don't suppose you've ever tried Italian food, have you?"

"Keh."

"Hmm," Kagome murmured as she began to spice the meat with the same spices she had put in the water minus the salt, adding thyme, dried onion slices and powdered lemon, "I guess I'll take that as a no. Well, you won't be disappointed, I can assure you of that. I made something similar for Shippo a while back and he seemed to enjoy it." That said, she began to stir everything together causing a heavenly aroma to filter through the air as everything cooked together.

At the smell Inuyasha felt his mouth begin to water, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, then her words reregistered in his mind and he found his head snapping upwards, dumfounded. "You got that kid to eat something other then takayoki? What was it," he asked genuinely curious at what could have possible persuaded Shippo turn from the last meal his mother had ever cooked for him.

"Linguini." She simply answered.

"How'd you manage that," perhaps, once they no longer had need of the siblings and Shippo was to stay with him once again he could find away to employ her trick.

She chuckled lightly, "I told him that if he would just try it I'd make him takayoki if he still wanted it."

"That's it?" Inuyasha searched as surely it had not been that easy, wincing in remembrance to some of their many battles over the matter.

"That's it." She breezily replied and Inuyasha again found himself warming in the thought of Shippo spending his days with the two siblings that Miroku seemed to have such great trust in. Perhaps it would be safe for him to offer his own trust, but firmly set himself against it. He would never let down his guard for two persons he had known of for barely a week and actually been in the presence of for little over two hours. After that the disguised half-youkai did not try to initiate conversation and Kagome seemed happy, enough to cook in the silence while guarded eyes observed her every move. It was as though she was use to such treatment, if it had been him, he would have been irritated beyond belief making all sorts of threats until the starring came to an end.

It was not long before the noodle dish was finished, and hour and half really, and Inuyasha found himself staring at the red sauce drenched meat and noodles with a bit of trepidation despite the fact it smelled absolutely wonderful. The cow brains had smelled wonderful too, that is, untill shortly after he downed and digested the heavily seasoned stuff he found out exactly what it had been. As he stared at the finished meal reliving many traumatic moments with foreign foods, he heard her voice calling the boys to come out and eat. Before she had even finished the call they were already racing towards the kitchen, and the moment they were there questioned what plate was their own. "Pick which ever you want, but remember you can always have seconds if your still hungry so don't argue over got more then the other."

They nodded obediently, and then her brother piped up, "can we watch tv while we eat, please. We," a glance at Shippo whom chirped his agreement, "want to see that movie you let us get."

Kagome hesitated, "but if sauce got on the white," she stressed, "carpet then…" she trailed when the two adopted twin pouting looks that remined Inuyasha -he winced- of a puppy begging for a treat. Sighing she gave in far to quickly for the hanyou's liking, and said sternly. "All right, but you have to lay a few towels out okay, and be careful this isn't the shrine." That seemed specifically mentioned for her brother, but both were nodding vigorously rushing off to find a few towels to lay out before the television set, and she called after him weakly. "That doesn't mean you can do this all the time."

Chuckling Inuyasha murmured, "This wouldn't be the first time they've done this, huh?"

Shamefully she admitted, "No."

Shrugging, he replied, "I don't care so long as nothing in here is damaged beyond repair." Kagome nodded her understanding, and grabbed the two remaining plates she had prepared asking him which he would prefer. "Feh, I don't care," truly he wanted the one on the left as it seemed to have quite a bit pilled on top but kept his mouth sealed. Though this was technically one of his homes, he felt as though he was a guest here and even if he was had, no manners in such things he had a driving need to implement what he did not have while he was around the girl and her brother. Miroku seemed to think they were worth such a high level of protection even going as far as to keep secrets from him and Sesshoumaru, and so perhaps not making a fool of himself for once would be a good idea. If they could bring out such a side of partner then perhaps they deserved his better half rather then his arrogant sarcasm.

Smilling another smile that seemed to have deeper things hidden beneath, she handed Inuyasha the plate he had his eye on saying. "You have to eat it with a fork, and don't pick at it either," she said patiently, "if you try it your sure to like it. It's one of the favorite foods Souta and Miroku like that I know how to make."

Inuyasha's invisible ears perked up at hearing that, following her into the adjoining room were the tv sat with two youngsters blanketing the floor in towels, he asked. "Really," he spoke casually, "so you've fed Miroku too, when he visited?"

Watching as she claimed a seat upon a blue towel, he took one far enough that no matter how much he moved they would not touch, but not so far that he could not hear her were she to whisper. "Yes, I've fed him," a cautiousness seemed to enter her scent, "didn't Miroku tell you he's known me since my birth. Our families have gone back very far, they were high school friends and stayed in touch through all of these years." Deception, there in her scent for a split moment was something not quite a lie but close to it. Only were did it belong, he had very little doubts that it was about how long Miroku had known her for, but why lie about their parents?

Instead he humored her as Shippo and Souta lay sprawled out greedily consuming their food while watching some goofy cartoon that he hardly cared to pay any mind to. "Yeah, I think I remember the monk saying something simlar." Looking down as his food, hesitation creeping up and down his spine, he dived right in while she watched eagerly for his reaction. Taking a bite, he first chewed swiftly in case it was foul, but once the blissful taste registered, he slowed his chewing savoring the morsel in his mouth, swallowing finally. "It's good." And that was all that he would allow on the matter, if he tried to speak more he'd end up saying something like, "not half bad but it'll never beat ramen." For a comment like that Rin had nearly decked him with a frying pan after she slaved away to prepare a meal for both him and his brother. Now, he did not have much practice in this element, however he did not really feel like taking the risk.

The raven haird human smiled brilliantly, and for a moment there was nothing hidden in that grin, clapping her hands together in delight. "I knew that you'd like it!" She beamed.

Just as Inuyasha was about to respond with his customary "Keh," his concealed ear twitched his nose working feverishly. Eye's widening he jumped to his feet spilling his meal all over the towels acting as a barrier between the food and his white carpet, there was something seriously wrong. Moving towards the sound, he paused and turned abruptly readying to force them all from the apartment complex ignoring their shouts, protests and demands to know exactly what was going on. It was all too late; jumping for the brother, whom was closest to him, he shoved the boy to the ground covering his body with his own as the harsh sound caused his ears to press against his head while intense he whooshed over his person.

He stayed that way for the longest time as things fell all around him, flames roving over everything in an attempt to satisfy its never ending hunger, a fruitless effort and in the end all would be reduced to ash, the fire extinguished. Pushing up on shaking limbs, Inuyasha noted that the boy beneath him had fainted from nothing more then fright, though there was a slight bump on the head the child's scent indicated that it wasn't enough for a concussion. He was no longer concealed and his half-youkai features were plain to see, his golden eyes tore over the mess of his penthouse searching for Shippo and the eldest of the two sibblings. "Oi, Shippo!" Inuyasha called out, his voice hoarse. "Shippo, you stupid kit, you'd better answer me!" He bellowed after a long silence, worry pulling the harsh call from his throat.

"I'm all right!" Came the weak call somewhere to his left, and he found himself searching out that direction for any sign of the little guy's figure through the conflagration of the room. Gathering the unconscious form of Souta up, he walked in the direction he heard the kit, watching out for fallen pieces of material and large clusters of flame that stood in his way.

"Shippo," Inuyasha rasped out, "say something else," he demanded as his eyes searched widely about the steadily burning room jumping as a small piece of derbies fell in his path. He had to find the kitsune before the building collapsed completely around them, and he refused to leave his charge even if meant they all stayed there with him.

"Inuyasha," the child began weakly, "I'm alright but Kagome's not. I can't get her to wake up, I tried to protect her, but I couldn't." He wailed. Locking on to the sound of the voice, Inuyasha found Shippo rather quickly, falling to his knees mindfull of the objects around him to assess the situation. He hissed silently when his left knee his some foreign looking piece, and then looked over the still body of the girl as well as he could without the use of his arms.

The raven haired enigma did not seemed to have fared the blast too well, her skin was marred with several shallow lacerations and was quite dirty from the blast her wild hair adding to the disheveled look. His eyes rounded a brief moment as he realized that she should not smell of so much blood if she only had few small cuts and scrapes. "Shippo," he muttered, "take the kid right now and leave."

"Leave!" The kit wailed, "why, where, how come, I want to stay with you Inuyasha!" The child avidly protested.

"Don't agrue!" Inuyasha bellowed efficiently silencing any more words of protest that may have been on the boy's tongue. "Take him and go through the dojo, down to the underground site 115, and don't move. Don't call Sesshoumaru, don't call Miroku, period! I'll explain it later!" Shippo took the child from his arms and, with one reluctant glance back, was swiftly on his way to do his guardian's bidding. Inuyasha watched him a moment,waiting until he was far enough away before moving Kagome gently inorder to prod her body for the open wound that was releasing so much of her blood.

The injury did not take long to find.

The girl had been laying mostly upon her stomach and thus covering nearly her entire side from sight, and that was both a bad thing and good thing. More a good thing then a bad, as it keep the wound from Shippo's sight as well as putting pressure upon the laceration itself to slow the blood flow, however when he moved her the cut pulled causing it to tear and bleed more heavily. Inuyasha let out a string of curses, how was he suppose to move her without implementing more harm to the already life threatening gash marring all of her right side and most of her stomach? He did not know, and as the fires grew fiercer around him, as they grew more desperate to feed their infinite hunger and as parts of the floor and ceiling gave way before the insatiable beast the hanyou came to a quick decision.

Slipping his hand into his back pocket, he fished around for the small metal tin he knew was there, painfully aware of the minimal time he had to perform the devoir. He always carried this special piece with him on every mission, and while he rarely found himself injured with more then his half-youkai blood could handle the needle and thread had been necessary on more then one occasion. Time was not something he had and so swifly he raked his claws down Kagome's shirt effectively shredding it from her body without disturbing the cut, and began to place the thread through the needle's eye. Focusing his entire attention upon the profusely bleeding wound to afford the unconscious girl some modesty, Inuyasha pushed the two sides of the cut together slipping the needle through her porcelain flesh. He paused to glance up at her face, and wasted a moment to pray that she did not rouse while he performed this operation, not envious of the agony that she was sure to feel.

Blood pooled up to his knuckles and he found himself taking the tatter remains of the girl's shirt to soak up the deep redness so that he could better see the area of the torn flesh to mend it. Inuyasha performed diligently, wincing every time the thread snagged in her skin and he had to tug a little harder in order to pull the line all the way through. Pausing only briefly as a moan escaped her parted lips, he continued again when she showed no signs of waking mentally sighing in relief that she would not be conscious for the throe that sure to rack her body through this procedure. Being hanyou, depending on the wound, such a thing would be mildly annoying, but for a human it was usually a tormenting ordeal to sit unbroken.

While his sight was firmly transfixed upon his task his ears were trained upon the room around him, flicking nervously as things slammed, moaned, craked and smoldered signaling the dwindling of time he had left. The stability of the complex was fleeing far more quickly then he had originally expected forcing him to hurry the speed of his work, and though this was not a desired move, he made it anyway. Better to be alive, if only slightly, then dead with no chance of ever coming back.

Tying the thread off, Inuyasha clipped the string with his claws, breathing a sight of relief when he was finally done and the building had yet to collapse around him. Sixty-two stitches he had given her and now that he took in the sight of her blood bedewing the flesh around the inch and half-wide wound unsettled him as it always did. He could wittness the crimson liquids, innards and gore of his opponent without the hint of illness, but when it was one he knew, someone on friendly acquaintances Inuyasha could be found bent over the nearest bush, bend, or braken loosing the contains of his stomach. It was a weakness he was desperately tying to overcome as the ways in which his mind concocted such an ifirmity could be used against him were terrifying possibilities. Right now, his stomach rolled, and he tried valiantly to squelch the feeling in his gut, he had no time right now for his 'weakness' to come into play. Taking the girl into his arms, he stood in one flowing movement, and moved through burning penthouse towards the steel door that housed all of his prized weapons.

That room would likely be the only thing that was left standing after this fire either smoldered itself out, or the firemen he could hear trying to make their way towards his apartment unsuccesfully managed to put it out. It did not matter, they'd find nothing up here even if they were to get in as he would be long gone leaving the rest of the world to believe him, Shippo and the two siblings had died in the explosion. Entering the room, he grapped the krodachi he saw the girl handling when he had heard someone messing in his, favorite and very off limits, place as well as another wicked looking blade. He would leave, however, his Tetsuaiga behind, as Sesshoumaru would never buy his death without the telltale sign, because Inuyasha never left anywhere with out the blade by his side if he could help it. The momento of his father meant everything to him, but not only that, it was the seal that kept the madness of his other half at bay.

Locking the door from the inside of his dojo, Seshoumaru or Miroku would come by later -likely after things settled- to collect his valuable weapons and find the indisputable proof of his 'death'. Hefting Kagome closer Inuyasha took to the same route he knew that Shippo had taken earlier, hopping to find the kit in good health he shut the passage trying to make it look as unused as it had been previously.

Whoever had been able to enter his home and place that bomb would pay dearly, he felt his youkai stir in anger, he would make sure hid painful revenge became more then thought.

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_**A/N:**_

What did you all think, like it, love it, hate it? Review and let me know as I sit eagerly awaiting your valued opinions! Flames are okay too much as long as they aren't overly cruel and have too much coarse language, I espically like constructive criticism. Its how we authors grow right?


	14. Restless

_**A/N:**_

Sorry for the long wait my six year old brother thought it would be hallairious to dump a 64ounce foutain drink upon my computer, suffice it say everything is better now and the nice computer guy was able to fix the poor sugary drenched machine. Anways here it is, read and enjoy!

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**_Disclaimer: _**If you don't know it by now after fourteen chapters, then I don't know what to say other then I do not own Inuyasha.

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

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**_Chapter Fourteen:_** Restless

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**_A_**s the night passed on the thunderstorm grew steadily worse, the rain pouring down upon the earth in unwavering rivulets nearly flooding the country's draining systems. The smell of the underground sewers growing more pungent as time went on were even a human would feel light headed and ready to sick up. The day was not one for traversing the city's drainage system.

Inuyasha held the body of the injured woman up high hopping not to allow her wounds to touch the murky waters of this place he did not even want to think about. In fact, he was trying to think about anything but where he traveled, not wanting to allow his mind to realize that the reason the place stank as bad as a Porte potty was because its were flushed toilets sent their waste. He shivered in revulsion trying not to breathe while also trying not to pass out from the lack of oxygen; the girl did not know how good she had it being passed out for their journey. Too bad this route was the only one he could think of that would allow them safe passage without being seen by unwanted eyes. Their faces were probably plastered all over the news by now, well as least his would be, he did not think that Miroku or Sesshoumaru would allow pictures of the two siblings reach the press.

Shaking his head of the thought, he turned to his right, while trying to securely hold Kagome with one arm, he used the other to help himself into the slightly higher up pipe. Instantly sighing in relief that he would no longer need to trudge waste deep in the slimy remains of peoples' waste, only his ankles would need to tread it, and held the human girl once again in both of his arms. It would not be too long now before he found the place were he told Shippo to take the younger sibling, a large fifteen inch metal door that was directly below the spider's club. The spider did not know of it's existence so he had no worries of Naraku finding him below his joint, not that he would have any worries of anyone thinking to try and locate him in such a place as it was deemed one of his most disliked places. Everyone knew of his disdain for the spider.

Turning another corner the hanyou soon found himself before the large metal door, moving the girl in his arms so that he could hold her with one without disrupting her wounds he set about to typing the code into the key pad sitting chest level within the door frame. His ears twitched as the mechanisms clicked clanked and twisted together working to open the heavy metal piece that blocked his way of entrance. He moved in swiftly, purposefully, and though it had been a while since he had visited this place, he knew quite well the layout of the underground hideout. Opening the door that was located straight across from the main room he laid the injured girl down; he called over his shoulder for Shippo. "Oi runt," he knew that kit was there, Inuyasha could smell the child's scent the moment he walked through the door despite his agitation. "Get me a bucket of warm water, and some clean towels now hurry!" He bade harshly hoping that the severe tenor would have Shippo hopping to quickly comply.

To stave the girl from having to suffer through a horrendous infection of her waist Inuyasha would have to clean the wound thoroughly, as he eyed her bedraggled form he could not help but notice the extreme paleness of her skin. Before he could worry about it, much longer the kitsune child came stumbling in with an arm full of pristine white towels along with the dark haired child that sported a buck of water. Upon seeing the state of his sister that bucket nearly fell from his arms, and as he rushed forward water sloshed in every direction drenching the carpeting where it fell. "Kagome," he wailed and Shippo followed after the boy his own distress showing through his scent and expression.

"Keh, she'll be fine kid, just needs to be cleaned up a bit."

The boy seemed to sag in relief at hearing that and with a wrinkled nose that smell and look of her offered with a dry chuckle, "yeah, Kagome hates to be dirty, she bathes compulsively." Souta took to running his finger through her tangled mass of raven locks trying to comfort himself with feel of her, starting madly when he realized she wasn't wearing a shirt and the dog eared man was removing her pants as well. "What are you doing!" He flashed indignantly, not appreciating the man trying to take liberties with his injured sister, with him in the room no less! Did this dog-eared man have no shame?

"Tch, unless of course you want her die from infection I'd shut your trap." Inuyasha bit out harshly, he was not some sick pervert who took advantage of helpless near dead women. Near dead, the thought echoed through his mind and he took a sniff of the air was sure enough there a slight hint of death. Horrified he took another look at her pale face noting that her breaths were shallow and that her heart beat was slow and barely audible, he also noticed that Shippo seemed to realize the same thing and his eyes were glazed over with tears. Had she lost so much more blood then he realized, so much that her body could not replace it fast enough? "Oi kid, if you want to help why don't you wash her hair," he needed to keep the kid distracted with something so that he would remain the dark, at least until he through of a way to prevent her rapidly deteriorating condition.

All Inuyasha could think about was the pain Miroku was sure to feel were the girl to die, he had risked his own life to protect her and the hanyou wasn't as stupid as most would like to believe. He could see quite clearly that his partner cared for this girl on some deeper level, almost like a sibling. "All right," he heard Souta murmur as he got one of the cloths Shippo brought bringing it down into the water only to apply it to her hair. Inuyasha could also see that the kitsune he had taken in to be his ward would be effected deeply were the girl to leave this world for the afterlife, and both thoughts were killing him.

"Oi kid," he asked conversationally, "how effected would Miroku be were she to…" he trailed suddenly realizing how insensitive the question was. Normally he would not have given slightest care to feelings of another, however he felt a slight compelling need to not be so brash with the boy in this situation much like the need to be polite he had felt within his apartment before it blew sky high.

Souta immediately went on the defensive, "how do you know Miroku, and who are you, where's that other guy, Inuyasha?" He queried through narrowed eyes, his entire being radiated with distrust.

The half-youkai blinked owlishly, "…huh?" _What's that brat droning on about… wait, _the thought was a little more then foreboding, but did the kid hit his head harder then Inuyasha first thought? It was not until he heard the kit's muted whisper that he felt apprehension clench his gut in a cold vice. Oh he was going to be in so much trouble, if Sesshoumaru did not kill him then Miroku would, he may not have understood that connection between his partner and the siblings but knew the monk would not appreciate his bringing to child or the girl into the society. What was done was done. "Keh," Inuyasha snorted, "I am Inuyasha, brat, your looking at the real me." He picked up a towel, got it wet, and began to scrub the blood and dirt from her bare body trying desperately not to blush at what he was doing.

"Wha?" The boy's startled reply ripped a smile from the hanyou.

Kagome's heart slowed a fraction, his ear twitched as he caught it, turning a glower upon the young boy he said harshly. "Do you want your sister to die?" He was considering something, something for the boy he had adopted and for the partner he viewed almost as a brother, but first he had to know if the action would be at all worth it. When the girl's brother shook his head roughly, he added. "Then answer my question, would Miroku be effected or not?"

"Of course Aniki…" he trailed his eyes widening as he dropped the cloth in his hands, "I mean to say…"

Inuyasha felt himself start at the words, leaning forward towards the girls wound taking a large sniff of her blood, his mind working through the intricacies that were present until he found a small thread that reminded him of his partner's scent until it had recently been distorted. Suddenly many things became clear to the hanyou in that one moment, Miroku's strange tendencies towards the siblings, the reason 'he' would even try to attack them and what he had to do in regards to her present state. "Shippo leave, take Souta with you." His quiet voice laced with a hard steel demand had the kit leaping to obey without so much as a word of protest.

The younger one looked ready to argue, but Shippo spoke before he could get a word in. "What are you going to do?" He whispered, knowing that the girl he had come to care for almost as much as he had for his own mother was so close to touching death. Right now all the redheaded child wanted to do was cry himself to sleep much like he had when his true mother had died, and his face twisted in an effort to keep the hot tears that prick his eyes at bay.

"Something that'll likely get me killed," he allowed and then growled lowly, "now leave unless of course you want your sister to die because you halted my attempt at saving her." That seemed to stop Souta from making any moves, he looked torn and finally his eyes started leaking tears causing the hanyou to panic. He hated tears, more than anything; especially the tears of a woman did, even more when those tears were because of his actions.

"S-she's g-going to d-d-die!" The child began to breath heavily, erratically, at the thought his heart constricting so painfully in his chest that he thought the organ was going to burst. Falling to his knees Souta tried to ignore the way the blood in his neck pulsed, causing him to panic more making him fear for both his sister and the fact that he might be causing himself one of the attacks she so frequently had. The boy stood shakily making his way towards the man that claimed to be Inuyasha, grasping his dirty sewer smelling clothes in a tight but shaking grasp. "W-what are you going to d-do, you have t-to save her! D-do a-anything!" The boy pleaded through gasping breaths, he could not lose his aneue, not his beloved sister, and certainly not so soon after his mother and grandfather. He still had not gotten over those deaths, he was still trying to be strong for his sister, and he still had barely mourned for her sake so that she would not have to witness his sadness.

Inuyasha avoided looking into Souta's chocolate brown eyes, taking the child's hands from his sodden red shirt and black trench coat and said. "I'm going to give her some of my blood," Shippo squeaked knowing what that meant, while the kid looked on in horror.

"Y-you, can't do t-that, you d-don't even k-know her b-blood type, y-you'll kill h-her!" The boy protested and then proceeded to try to drag the hanyou from his sister's bedside unwilling to let the man harm his sister. He may have only been ten years old, however he knew that one could not mix blood unless of course they had they same blood type. He also knew that said blood had to be tested for any impurities because even if the blood matched there might have been something wrong with it that could kill his sister in the end.

"Runt get the kid out of here," he ordered and the kit jumped to comply, taking Souta from the room and despite the kid's struggles could not brake away from the kitsune's hold. In spite of Shippo being younger by nearly half the Higurashi boy's age he was able to over power the kid's attempt to stay in the room with his sister due to youkai strength. Though pitiful, kitsune were known for their tricks that were used in battle and not their strength, the power of his grip was enough to take on a human. Inuyasha ignored the yells and screams as the door shut behind Shippo and Souta, and battled inwardly with himself.

Did he truly need to perform what he was about to perform, he already stitched her main offending wound together, no one would argue that he had not done enough. Still this was Miroku's little sister and no matter his brusque treatment of those close to him, of his partner, he did not want the man he had know for eight years to go through the pain of loosing someone that was obviously so important to him. Suddenly he remembered the incident at the shrine; the old man and middle aged woman that had been murdered. That must have been his mother and grandfather, and murmured a foul curse beneath his breath, it was good thing he had seen fit to bring their bodies to society's morgue for Miroku to say his last good-byes.

What if he had scented wrong? It had been a good while since he had gotten a clear whiff of his partner's scent, perhaps he had mistaken what he got from the little thread of smell in her scents general make up. If he were wrong did he truly want to be stuck with consequences, his actions would bring about; did he really have a choice? There was only a slim chance as he had the nose of an inu-youkai, his father's strong blood flowing through his veins, and those of his bloodline were hardly every wrong when it came to smells. Steeling his nerve, Inuyasha knew what he had to do, there was no other choice for him to grasp at that he could see for himself.

Taking a claw, he slid it over one of the main veins of his wrist and then over the main vein of the girl's wrist, placing the small lacerations together before his skin healed completely. The veins coming together acting as one pulling blood from him into her and vise versa, after a few moments he took his wrist away and brought hers up to his mouth to lick the wound clean. He watched with a sort of morbid fascination as her cut began to heal, taking the properties of his blood and already using them to her advantage. Was it supposed to happen this quickly? Shaking the thought from his head, Inuyasha re-cut his wrist and brought it to the girl's pale lips, coaxing her throat to swallow with the fingers of his left hand. Once he was sure she had taken enough he stopped; not even bothering to perform the next few tasks in this ritual, knowing that what he had done was enough to save her life.

The hanyou was yet again surprised when the smaller cuts and scrapes that had marred her body from the explosion began to fade away. Why was his blood reacting so strongly within her veins? Deciding to ignore it Inuyasha picked the rag he had dropped from the ground, re-wetting it, he began to scrub the dirt away from her wounds. Despite having his blood in her now, she would not wake yet, not for a couple days at least, while his blood worked in her body making slight changes some that would stay and some that would leave as his blood thinned out through her bloodstream. Once her chest and waist was free of dirt and blood he moved on to clean her arms, hands and legs lastly coming to her face.

Delicately he took the cleanest corner of the cloth and began to wipe away the dirt that marred the features of her face, marveling at the beauty he now seemed to noticed that lied their. Swallowing he also noticed that as the color returned to her face that beauty seemed to grow, and he was finding it hard to take his hands away from her. It was not until his lips were mere inches from hers that he backed away from her with so much force that fell over backwards. What had he done? His entire body shook with the effort of not moving back towards the young woman prone across the bed, what had he done?

Taking a shuttering breath, he knew exactly what he had done only he had not realized that it would be this difficult, his entire body trembled with the effort it took not to finish the ritual he had started. His instincts crying out in frustration as his blood in her body called to him, with a vicious growl tearing from his throat, Inuyasha ran from the bedroom out into main room finding Shippo trying to clam down a rather upset Souta. "Oi Runt, go get some blankets for the girl, and stay with her. I got some things I've got to talk to the kid about."

The kit gulped, looking towards Souta who gazed at Inuyasha almost fearfully. "Inuyasha," he whispered, "your eyes are flashing red and you smell like blood."

"What did you expect," the hanyou groused as he tried to force his mind from thoughts of unconscious girl, trying to calm his raging youkai half. "With what I've done what did you expect! Just go all right, you don't have to worry about my other half, just go!" Shippo took one hesitant glance his way before rising to do what was asked of him, and now that he and kid were, left alone he forced his body to relax smelling the fear that was pouring off the child in waves. It too was beginning to pull at his unstable instincts. "Hey, I ain't gonna hurt you, so stop fidgeting." He pulled a face as he came to sit beside the kid and he backed away only slightly.

"Shippo told me what you both were, but how is it possible, I always that youkai were just myths." The smell of fear around him did not dissipate and the hanyou found himself brining a hand up to his nose just to lessen his intake of the putrid tang in the air. "I believe it, I guess, grandpa always said that they existed but Kagome and I never believed him. We just thought that because he owned the shrine he bought into all of those old legends."

"Keh, are you afraid of us now?" He queried, willing to do anything to rid the air of fear.

The room was silent a moment "…no." Come the hesitant reply, and Souta shook his head roughly a fresh wave of tears cascading down his cheeks as the situation with his sister and the one at the shrine came tumbling down upon the small boy causing his chest to constrict. Without warning he launched himself into Inuyasha's arms, if he could not find comfort with his sister then, he would take what he could with this stranger. "You said she was going to die, I don't want her to die, Kagome's all that I've got left besides Miroku."

Inuyasha was stumped, he had no idea what do with this, and slowly he patted the back of the boy's dark head awkwardly. "She's not gonna die, I took care of it." Souta continued his cries, burying his head further into Inuyasha's red shirt, shoulders shaking with each sob. "Hey," the hanyou spoke accusingly trying disentangle the kid from his middle, "stop crying, I told ya she was going to be all right."

The boy would not stop quivering against him, and then finally looking up with a face twisted in pain, tears sliding down his cheeks falling toward the half-youkai's lap one after another. "I want my mama, I want my Ji-chan." The boy wailed, throwing his face back into Inuyasha's chest.

Blinking rapidly the inu-hanyou suddenly saw Shippo in place of Souta, and felt his heart tighten, pulling the boy against him much like he had with the kit when he made a similar demand after had gotten him away from the streets. Rubbing his back, Inuyasha could not help but think of himself when his mother had died, much like he had done with Shippo, and felt his sympathy for the young boy grow. "Kid, it's gonna be okay, just," he swallowed hard already regretting what he was about to say, "just cry till you've got nothing left. You'll feel better for it." He assured, still taking a clawed hand up and down the boy's back in an attempt to comfort him much like he had done for the kit.

"I can't, I can't cry," Souta murmured, trying to stop the avid flow of tears, "Kagome tries to be so strong, I can't, I don't want to make my aneue sad." He hiccuped and then whispered pitifully, "I don't want to let her down."

Inuyasha shook his head, biting back the harsh remark he wished to make, this was Miroku's little brother whom was still mourning the loss of his mother. He remember, although it had been quite a while, what he felt when his own mother passed on. "Cry, I won't say a word, she won't ever have to know." He whispered trying to coax the child into letting his tears flow freely, letting the sadness bottled up inside of him out. It was not healthy to keep such strong emotion inside such a small body, the hanyou knew what that was like, knew what could happen when one let sadness fill their entire being that they practically tingled with the sensation until it could no longer be restrained. When that happened sadness gave way to anger, and when he got angry, when he felt anger so thoroughly, his youkai side fully came out to play. Though that would not happen with a completely human boy, there were other effects, he was sure, that could surface were Souta to prolong his needless suffering.

He shook his head roughly, "no… I have to be strong for Kagome." He insisted.

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted, "strength don't matter a damn thing if yer mentally weak!" He chastised and then forced himself to add, swallowing hard, "strong people cry, its how you know that you've got strength if you're able to cry and let those closest to you see your pain and allow them to soothe it." He was one to talk, the hanyou thought dourly, he never allowed anyone to see his mental grief over his mother's death. He had held it all inside, and then when all became to much to bare he snapped loosing himself to darkness of his other self, drowning completely in maddening voice that was ever present in the back of his mind. His youkai blood had dominated his human half possessing his body for a destructive joy ride doing all of the things Inuyasha's hanyou self had denied it. It would be different for this human, but that did not matter; mental anguish was mental anguish. "Tch, you and I ain't exactly close, but just this once I'll listen and I won't mind your tears." He hated tears, but this was his partner's little brother and Miroku was like a brother to him and were Souta to fall prey to grief's madness then his partner would also know sadness and pain. It was a sibling's duty to keep their sibling from feeling any negative emotion if could be helped, and though when it came to Sesshoumaru he was not exactly diligent in such a duty, he did try his hardest. Such a self-taken task, he would never admit aloud he partook, feeling the admission damaging to reputation.

He felt Souta shutter a sigh against his chest and this time the hanyou could smell the boy was not trying to hold back his sadness, and he smiled. Finally, he had gotten to the stubborn boy. "You should tell that to Kagome, it's good, she suffers so much to be the rock the family can hold on to never speaking of her own pain even if it's obvious in her smiles and in her eyes." Stunned at such an insightful reply was made in return for his attempt to goad the child in mourning, making himself appear older. That all vanished anon as the boy suddenly whimpered, "I want mom, and Ji-chan."

"Hai, kid, I know." He offered softly, and said nothing more and they sat like that in comfortable silence until Souta slowly cried himself asleep in the hanyou's arms.

**_G_**laring hotly at the cell that lay upon the coffee table across from were he sat hunched on his couch, the more he thought about it, the more he felt the dark glower upon his visage seep further. How dare that taiyoukai, he mentally seethed, how dare he think that he held such power over the ex-agent that could order his sorrows away after only a day of mourning for the family that he lost. Telling Miroku that he had to stop by the youkai's office to handle some minimal affair with him, and so he cast his sadness aside forget that he had lost his sister and brother.

Miroku took a deep breath.

Turning that glare from the cell phone he brought them to his gloved right hand that itched uncomfortably, he needed to calm his emotions, sensing the odd effect his anger was having upon the cursed hand. He shoved the remembrance of the day he had received the steadily growing hole upon his hand aside not wanting to relive that time nearly eight years ago. There were two ways to relieve himself of the curse he'd found himself under, kill the man whom had given it to him, or find a willing companion who would share the burden of his curse and bare for him a son. Since finding the man whom had performed the curse seemed impossible, he had tried finding a woman, but the results of actually doing so could vary. The curse could disappear all together, but then the old woman Keade of their society whom dealt with such magic said that could also leave him and pass on to his offspring. Condemning the child with the burden of the open vortex in his hand that threatened to consume him whole, Miroku had very little doubts that he could perform such an act were that true.

The monk smiled slightly when he remembered the mournful way Kagome had cried for him when he explained the situation, leaving out curses and youkai, telling her that it was some sort of nano bot that would eventually consume him whole. She claimed that she would hunt down the man that had wrought this wrong against him, giving him over to a life of loneliness. The smile slipped to a frown, Kagome was gone now, and so was Souta, though there was slight chance they were still alive with his baka partner, yet there was a greater chance that is two siblings were not. His heart sank, and he threw himself back onto the couch staring up at the ceiling listlessly. Without his family what sense was there to continue on, they were his reason for living, for taking on 'him' for their protection.

The brother of none snorted in disgust at his recent thoughts.

Falling so deep into despair was not a place Miroku oftener treaded, so far that he actually began to contemplate ending his life. Suicide was never a good place for thoughts to wander; it was never the answer to heavy problems how most would like to believe, actually the cowardice act was not a suitable answer for anything. Still he gave began to give the thought serious consideration despite that if he were to kill himself heaven would be a place that he would not end up.

Thought ceased as a pounding at his door roused him from his deep musings, for a moment, he considered not answering the incessant call, but the person seemed adamant in being seen. Irritation won and Miroku found himself lazily propelling himself to his feet to see who exactly would dare to interrupt him at the late hour. Crossing the threshold of the entryway he noted from a clock hanging upon the wall that it was roughly around three thirty A.M. causing him to grit his teeth, did no one have respect for a man in mourning any longer? First, it was Sesshoumaru, the fifty thousand calls to his cell and now a knock at his door when most would be fast asleep, what would come next. Someone barging in on him whilst he used the bathroom?

He was a quite surprised to find the assassin he had created starring back at him in such worry that it caused his heart to clench, he vaguely recalled Kagome staring back at him with such a look when she found out about his curse. "Sango," he murmured, swallowing the rush of sadness that had suddenly overcome him, "what are you doing here?"

"Houshi-sama…" Sango trailed seeming lost, and then finally launching herself into Miroku's embrace suddenly fearless of the infamous wandering hands. "It's been three days since anyone had heard anything from you," she explained stepping away just as suddenly as she had come a slight blush staining her cheeks, "and when Sesshoumaru said that you had not answered a single of his calls since the first day I had gotten worried."

"Three days," Miroku echoed dully, "I hadn't even realized so much time had passed."

"It has." The assassin confirmed, and then went on in a tone holding a regretful and miserable quality. "The reason why Sesshoumaru-sama was trying to get a hold of you so desperately was because he wanted you to come with him when he went to see the remains of Inuyasha's penthouse. Instead he ended up taking Kouga with him on account of the wolf being the only one available at the time and apparently he required help with the loading of his brother's prized weapons."

Miroku grimaced, knowing that neither of two particularly got along, and that he now would likely pay a price for Sesshoumaru having to stomach the wolf's presence. "How did that go?" He painfully queried.

The taijya shared his look and replied, "not well at all. Kouga's nursing some pretty bad wounds right now, apparently the wolf's hatred for Inuyasha sparked him to remark on a hope for the hanyou to be dead."

Leading the woman further into his apartment, Miroku groaned at the news and seated himself in his previous seat. His resting-place, apparently, for the last few days he had been spent in total isolation. "Wonderful, at times like this I find myself loving Kouga even more," he spoke tightly motioning for the girl to seat beside him as he tride valiantly to bring a good humor about himself but failing at it miserably. "So, why are you here, other then to inform me of this?"

"Since you were ignoring Sesshoumaru's calls I was sent to deliver the news and an order that despite his command that you spend time to mourn recent events have made the action impossible now as taking care of 'him' can no longer wait." Sango informed exactly as the taiyoukai had bade her too, "they found Tetsusaiga amongst the other blades and were told three bodies were found burned beyound recognition. The boss believes that your siblings are dead," she swallowed weakly, "and Inuyasha with them."

Miroku felt as though the air had been knocked from his lungs and no matter how hard he tried, he could not replenish the supply fully and not without pain. "Are you sure?" He rasped, grasping her hands in his own pleading for her to tell him anything, anything that pertained with what he wanted to hear. At her reluctant nod her limbs fell from his grasp, and he inquired, tone unsteady, "and they are certain it is him whom committed the crime?" Again she nodded and in those few minutes he sat there in silence a thousand thoughts filled his head all at once, thoughts that went along with his earlier musings to other's that were memories of his childhood with his siblings. He could not help but feel the life drain from him as each flash of life with Kagome and Souta flew right bye his mind's eye as the realization of their death became a permanent one. The ex-agent could no longer comfort his heart with ideal thoughts of his partner managing to come to the rescue of his most prized treasures, the two he had left. His mother was gone too, he wouldn't get see her warm smile greeting him when he finally came home to the shrine, nor would he get to hear his mother chastise him for lengthening his time apart from them each visit. He would not get to hear his grandfather's tall tales; tales of which held more truth to them that most of the recipient could ever believe, as he had lost the old man along with everyone else important in his life. Slowly anger surged to life beneath his skin, making his blood sizzle in his veins, and he stood very slowly.

Sango whom had been watching the myriad of expressions that had crossed his face when he had grown impossibly silent and still, wore a look of fear towards the cold anger that burned brightly in her savior's eyes. A look that had reminded her of Sesshoumaru, a look that she had never viewed in his dark pupils of all the years she had known the facetious man. "Miroku," her worry and quiet alarm causing her for the second time to speak his name, "are you all right."

Miroku tried to smile for her after she spoke his name with such emotion, truly he did, but he could not manage it, as the look upon his face was firmly ingrained. "No," his voice was a deadly tenor, the rage boiling deep allowed for nothing less, "I am far from all right, but once I kill that bastard I'll be just peachy." That being said Miroku slammed his fist into the wall across from his couch that housed the big screen TV, causing the wall to shutter and turn revealing a wall lined with different types of guns and such weaponry. He eyed them all before strapping a few guns around his waist, some knives around his ankles and wrists, and finally he took a rather wicked looking sword from the hidden niche behind his television set.

Sango watched his preparations warily, and once he was done and the wall flipped back around, she spoke cautiously. "Houshi-sama, what are you doing, you can't possibly think to storm the agency looking for him can you? We don't even know who 'he' is yet and we won't know until we find some solid lead or you remember what your father said to you before he died."

"My father's last words were to protect Kagome, and nothing else," he finally revealed after many years of denying ever knowing what his father's last words were, "and I have failed his dying wish." He finished solemnly. Donning a black leather jacket over his purple button down shirt, he stalked with deadly purpose towards the exit of his apartment. "As for what I am doing, I am going to Sesshoumaru and then I am going to stand in for Inuyasha and together he and I will avenge our fallen family members."

"Miroku!" She called and when he paused in his doorway waiting for her continue, she fumbled with her words a moment before finally speaking what she wished. "Let me come with you, I want to help. I too have a personal stake in seeing 'him', finally get what he deserves, my brother, my father, and my mother was burned alive because of him. Please Miroku," Sango pleaded when she spotted his tensing of his shoulders taking it for a sign that he was about to deny her, "don't shut me out from this. Whether you want me apart of this or not, you can't stop me-"

"You can come." Miroku interrupted her long-winded speech, turning with a small smile that did not quite reach his eyes he added, "stubborn as you are you wouldn't listen even if I said no. Just like Kagome." The assassin did not reply to her savior and that was all that had been said between them their entire journey to office where Sesshoumaru was most likely to be. The taiyoukai was rarely ever spotted anywhere outside of his place of business, unless of course he was at home resting due to the nagging of the only two women he would deem worthy of taking the suggestions of. The entire way was made in deep contemplative thought, and Miroku could not help but to dream of the revenge he would exact while Sango prayed that the death of his two siblings had not entirely broken her savior beyond repair.

**_T_**he air surrounding him despite being in such a large office was suffocating, it was too thick, it was too humid and perhaps it was the small innocently silent object lying upon his desk that made his chest tighten so. Swallowing hard, he took large gulps of air caring nothing for desecration as he looked upon the valuable piece of work, the sign of it with him speaking of life no longer living. A life that despite his harsh words and careless actions, he cared for with all of his being. There was not a sibling alive that, deep down, no matter what words were spoken or actions taken, loved their little brother or sister with all of their might. Though this was something a taiyoukai like himself would never let out into the open, would not let other's see, he still felt the loss of his brother as he would if any number of his limbs were severed.

Suddenly he slammed his fist over the blade in his anger and the sword it self-clamored back and glowed slightly as if to protest his harsh treatment, a voice that only his half-brother would have understood. A voice, he at one point in time would have given his left arm to hear resonating through out his mind, lending to him the secrets of it's unfathomable power. His father had been right in his assessment of his two sons and the weapons of his fang they had received. Inuyasha was rash and uncontrollable, his youkai because of his personality flaw always trying to devour his human blood and gain control, and so despite the Tetsusaiga matched his half-brother's personality it also tempered that brash behavior and quitted the darker half.

He and the Tensaiga on the other hand were nothing alike and yet the sword tempered the steal around his heart. His father saw his first son's iron clad organ, saw how the young taiyoukai refused to allow it to beat warmly towards another living soul. The Tensaiga was constantly whispering in his mind whenever it felt his heart harden towards his adversaries and allies alike, talking him into actions that would not be harsh upon the scourge whom sought mercy or aid. However, when family was threatened and people he cared about harmed the Tensaiga roared harshly in his ears, roaring along with his soul, as it cried out for vengeance. Even now, he could hear the Tensaiga echoing his sorrow in the very corridors of his mind crying the tears of sorrow he could not bring himself to shed. The very first time he had heard the fang's voice was when it begged him to save Rin, to bring her back to life, to bring her family back to life from what obviously looked to a death bestowed by the wolf youkai under his rule.

He slammed his hand down again as his mind wandered back to present, back the reality of his brother's death, and he growled ferociously at the Tetsusaiga suddenly unreasonably angry with the second fang of his father as though it were at fault for his pain. The blade flashed and answered back in a sound he could not decipher, however, Sesshoumaru took the reply as though the sword were goading him, taunting him for being unable to save Inuyasha himself. It was an elder brother's duty, after all, to protect the younger. His claws elongated marring the surface of his mahogany desk, his eye flashed red as his fangs grew in size and before he could chide himself getting worked up over resonating notes that he could not understand a sound snapped him from his fit.

Eyes still tinged red snapped toward the entrance of his office, he could smell Kagura before he had set his sight upon her and was put off by the scent of sorrow tinged with slight fear. He could not get his voice to work passed the growl in his throat, the one he had been aiming at Inuyasha's sword. He did not have to speak as Kagura did so for him. "Sesshoumaru," the wind-youkai murmured softly, and closing her eyes, she walked into his office just stopping in front of his desk. Suddenly she had her hand upon his, her eyes staring angrily in to his, "stop this nonsense right now, what good is wallowing in self pity going to do for Inuyasha? Do you think he'd a appreciate you beating yourself up over not being able to save him, of not being able to spare him ever knowing death?" The woman shook her head roughly, her hair falling from her bun with the action, she grabbed his face in her hands not caring for her hair and how it was a thick fall cascading down her back. Her eyes stared at him hard, and she knew that the only reason he had not struck her down for a familiar touch was for the friendship and his trust in her. "Tch, he'd throw it back in your face and laugh, that's what he'd do and you know it. So don't waist these feeling on the ungrateful little whelp, instead work on getting revenge, call Miroku or have some else get a hold of him and… and…." Her voice softened greatly, "stop looking so sad, I can't stand it when the ice prince becomes sad because then I feel my strength slip away and my sadness overcomes me and doubles knowing that your aching to such a degree that your visibly showing it."

The all-powerful immovable taiyoukai was thrown into speechlessness, collecting himself he managed a strained reply. "Your lucky that you are Kagura and not another."

Smiling coyly she playfully asked, "and why is that?"

Despite his situation Sesshoumaru felt his lip quark upwards ever so slightly, "were you anyone else I would have punished you for speaking and touching me so familiarly when I was dealing with a such a situation no matter how true the words may have been."

For some reason or another Kagura felt elated with the reply, tempering it down behind a carefully constructed mask she inquired, "does that mean that you will take my advice."

Sesshoumaru hid a grin as he slowly but surely reconstructed the stolid covering to lie over his countenance once more, not a first time happenstance in Kagura's presence. She had been witness to many of the moments when his protective covering cracked. "Yes and no, I will try to feel less like it is my fault, however I will use this ache in my chest and turn it into an inu-youkai's fury and direct that flame towards my enemy. As for Miroku, I have already sent Sango to bring the stubborn swine to my office, I told him to mourn and not to drown." Looking the wind youkai over with a critical eye, he suddenly remember the unease he had been feeling whenever he thought of her and the strange behavior she had been showing since this last week had begun worsening into following week.

"I am aware of what you told me Sesshoumaru-sama, however I wouldn't constitute my behavior as 'drowning', more like obeying an order I would have taken either way." Miroku spoke as he fully entered the office, taking in both Kagura and Sesshoumaru, and then with a slight inclination of the head, he spoke again. "I apologize for ignoring your calls, I lost my head like most do in through of sorrow, but that does not matter now. Tell me, what is it that you've called me here for?" He knew, though he asked the question anyway, forcing the youkai to tell him his want.

"You know why you're here," the Taiyoukai leveled the monk with a hard glare, "the question is whether or not you are ready to accept such a position."

"Do I have a choice?" Miroku responded dryly, grabbing a chair for Sango to sit in, they had walked the entire way to the societies compound the trek lasting well over four hours. He could tell that the assassin was tired by the way, her stance slumped ever so slightly, Sango rarely ever slouched. She accepted the seat with a grateful nod of the head, and though she felt odd being the only one seated, she pushed the feeling aside grateful to be off her feet.

"No." He answered simply, eyes watching the visage of the ex-agent almost cautiously.

"Either way I would have taken this position, I want revenge with every fiber of my being. If filling in for Inuyasha is what it takes then I am willing to take the greater responsibility. I will make him pay for ever thinking that destroying my family was a good idea." For a moment he felt like a different man, the giddy feeling he always bore all but dispersed from his body leaving nothing behind but a cold rage that infected every part of his soul. "Now that this had been settled I think I shall pay the spider a visit and see if he had found anything useful, by your leave however?" He paused; waiting for a response for his declaration made in bone chilling tone that was a stark contrast to his normal voice.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head once granting his permission, "Now that you do not have Inuyasha to come along take second gun, the men of the spiders bar are a foolhardy bunch and I don't want it in their minds that they can harass you now that my half-brother is gone."

"I understand." Miroku turned on a heel and made as if to leave but stopped once he sensed Sango's feat following him. "Though I said that you could along, this is a place were I rather you would not follow me to. Stay Sango." He ordered in a way that rankled her insides with rage, she was not a dog that could be ordered to sit at his command! She balled her fists as she watched him leave.

"Taijya," Sesshoumaru called as she still sat in her angry daze, "follow him. Something is not right with him, I think grief has changed him." He could smell quite clearly the extra fire power that adorned his person along with the steel that lined his body hidden, at the moment Miroku was too unstable to be on his own especially armed as he was.

She jumped slightly at hearing her boss's stoic voice interrupt her irate thoughts, but once she registered the meaning of the words, she could only nod her head in agreement. There was something different about the man whom was her savior, something almost resembling the inu- taiyoukai, only colder, darker and so much more distant. Now that the leader of society had given voice to it she felt her heart clench in worry afraid that her beloved savior would do something stupid in this changed state of mind. "Hai, I will follow him, but if I am caught you are my excuse for it."

"That is fine," he replied, "however I have great confidence in your abilities to remain hidden, one you return I have another mission for you." She made a noncommittal response as she turned to leave; it was true, she could hide from a youkai and descends for the kill without ever being known. She was the Assassin, the Shikaku brother's best-hired killer.

One whole hour passed after Sango had left himself alone with Kagura, a long time to pass in silence, yet he did not feel the need to break it and it did not seem the wind youkai intended to speak either. Soon, however, Kagura stood and glided across the room, "there is something that I need to attend to," she spoke to quell any questions he might have at her abrupt departure. If he was not going to speak to her then she was going to leave him in the silence that he seemed to so love, there were issues that needed to be handled at the agency with the bombing of Inuyasha's apartment building. Kagura was almost certain of it; the man that claimed to be her boss was more then likely 'him'. Until she was able to prove it, until she could find indisputable proof, she would wait to tell her suspicions to her childhood friend.

That conversation they had after he requested a meeting with her to discuss the reports she had written of the explosion was still weighing heavily upon her mind.

_"What is it that you wish to know, I thought that I had written everything quite clearly, but apparently I was wrong." She snapped the irritation she felt at not being able to be beside Sesshoumaru right after he had come to devastational blow of his brother's death was unbelievable. She could not muster up enough of a shield to hide her feelings to have a pleasant conversation with this man._

_Akahito Houjo raised a brow in question, and then shrugged the words off with the upraising of his shoulder's as he replied to the brusque words. "A temper is better left at home then a job such as the one you are aiming for," Kagura heated at the castigating words but said nothing. "Petulant silence, keep that way for now, but once you've entered the secret chamber of coming under one mine after proving yourself such an attitude would be better left away from the office."_

_"Sir," she quarried, "when you speak of secret people under you what sector are you speaking of? I thought that you only commanded the division of the CIA that dealt with internal problems."_

_Houjo bestowed upon her a truly wicked smile. "True, but there are secrets with in every division that aren't always made public, for reasons of national security. My division being the securest of all, you will not find any information on it at all, even those who think themselves on top are in the dark of my operations. Operations that I would like you to be a part of."_

Her reminiscing was interrupted when a firm hand grasped her arm causing her to pause, her ruby eyes gazing up into golden ones when called for her attention. "Kagura, do not leave." He ordered softly.

The tone in which that command was given was enough to cause her pause, she had not heard him speak like that since their childhood years. She swallowed hard, "I have to go to work, I have an assignment that I need to complete before the day is out." She murmured nervously, she did not understand why she felt so all of sudden, but the way he looked at her the way he refused relinquish his grip pulled at her in an odd way.

"No, your ties the society are more important then fabrication, and your safety is more important then either." Suddenly he had her in his arms eliciting a gasp from her throat; "there is some thing the matter with you Kagura, something that you refuse to say."

"There is nothing wrong." She denied weakly as her thoughts raced, _what in the world is he thinking?_

The inu-youkai snorted, "there is something wrong, I always know when something is not right with you. You can not fool this Sesshoumaru." Suddenly, in a very uncharacteristic move, he began to smooth down her hair speaking fondly. "Do you recall how we meet when we were children?" Unable to make a voiced answer, she merely nodded and he was content with that going on to say, "I remember. Mother had just died and I was angry. You were upset because your disguise had falter and the friends you were playing with rejected you based upon appearances calling you a monster." His grasp tightened upon her when she flinched, "Then I saw you standing at the edge of a bridge over looking the water with your arms in the air and then without further ado you plunged downward to the earth. I had thought you trying to kill yourself and so despite myself being in a demonic rage, I caught you in mid air and was surprised receiving a blow to the head rather then kind words of thanks. I did not know until you told me that you were a wind youkai.

"It is said then demons of the wind find comfort from its cool embrace during emotional times, that you could fly in its currents. You were angry with me while I couldn't be happier; you had saved me that day from youkai rage. In return I had offered you my full protection, why won't you let me help you now, you've never had a problem with it before?"

"I told you that there is nothing wrong with me, besides you have repaid that night back in full a thousand times over." She argued and ignored his pointed glare. During a youkai rage, the youkai in question spread violence terrorizing, killing, maiming anyone and anything that stood in its way until the madness gave way to death. As he saw it, she had earned his eternal protection for her inadvertent interference for had he not seen the wind youkai ready to throw herself off of a bridge into the frigid waters below he might of allowed the intense anger to completely control his actions.

"Foolish!" Sesshoumaru cursed her.

"What?" Kagura glanced up confused.

"You, little wind witch, are a fool," he proclaimed harshly, "you are immensely troubled and though you say I have repaid you I say otherwise. You know what it means of a youkai to lose his mind, though I reluctantly admit a foolish mistake on my part, I would have been not only devastated but damaged mentally in my innocent years were I to haven lived through the youkai rage." He held her a little more closely as he leaned down to ear level, "I pledged my protection to you that night always and forever, and I take my promises seriously."

"Is that all this is?" She questioned, suddenly feeling anger arise within her breast at his words, "am I nothing but an obligation that you must worry for because seeing me jump from a bridge stopped the anger from taking you whole?" Kagura pulled from him; "I release you of your-"

Before she could even finish the sentence a clawed hand slammed over her, lips as lived amber orbs stared down at her flashing between red and their natural color. Growling lowly deep within his chest Sesshoumaru spoke roughly, "you will not finish that sentence, ever. I have lost a brother today, do not make me lose my dearest treasure as well, do not make me give up on protecting that which I cherish over something so stupid as a misunderstanding in my words." Slowly he let his hand drop from her mouth, "I have taken down so many shields tonight just for you, please, Kagura, tell me what is wrong so that I may fix it."

The wind youkai's mouth worked silently at such entreaty, dare she tell him her suspicions and have her one chance at proving herself to him taken away or did she give into the feeling of his words like her heart was screaming for her to do. Swallowing hard to push down the lump taking shape in her throat, Kagura adverted her ruby orbs from his own hesitant to give a reply. Dare she lie to him now with his heart held out to her bare of it's many shields, as she opened her mouth to spew out deceit the truth came tumbling fourth instead. "I think that my boss may the 'him' were looking for, but if you mean this entire week then I've been trying to prove myself to you so that I can stand on my own two feet without you holding me." Sesshoumaru growled low in his chest eyes bleeding red as he crushed the wind youkai in his embrace, unsure of what angered him more of what cause his eyes to change color and limbs to tingle with weariness he had not felt in years.

* * *

_**A/N:**_

Inuyasha did something to save Kagome that'll likely entice Miroku Kill him, Miroku lost now that his hope has been snatched away and Sesshoumaru finally knows what's wrong with Kagura! How will it all turn out? Check in next time, it won't be a long wait I promise!

And REVIEW, I always feel like writing a bunch when I check my email and see that review, kind of like an adrenaline rush!


	15. Nightmares

_**A/N:**_

Wow everyone seemed to really like the last chapter, especially the scene between Kagura and Sesshy, and that makes me so happy! This chapter mostly has Kagome and Inuyasha in it, she wakes up too, for awhile (little spoiler) and some Miroku and Sango. You all seemed to be worried that Miroku's gonna do something stupid, I wonder what that would constitute as… what happens here or what could come along next…..

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**_Disclaimer: _**Don't own em.

_**Hidden Beneath A Smile**_

**_Chapter Fiffteen: _**Nightmares

_**C**ool and unsavory the night had suddenly turned an outing with her father becoming a grotesque scene of survival. Traveling through the wilds of the island that had been their abrupt vacation, the excuse of needing a break after so many long hours spent at the office. There was something not right with this quick departure, the whole family could see it, none but the father knew it and none but the father had paid for it._

_Moving through the foliage, bramble, branches and low lying vines reaching out and grasping at her as she ran with her father, as she exerted herself beyond normal performance just to keep up with his swift strides. Fear choked at her heart, fear clogged her throat, and fear made it increasingly difficult to breathe normally as she ran. Hunting for seashells amongst the twilight lit beach had ended in bullets flying and father and daughter becoming the prey. The hand that held her father's own was growing moist and she soon began to fear that her hand would slip from his and she would become lost._

_"Masume, how would like to see Miroku, he's going to meet us at that lake we found, remember the one you, he and Souta went swimming in?" He queried breathlessly, angling the little girl around a large rock that blocked their path, she nodded, and though he could not see, he continued anyway. "Masume why don't you sing that song your mother taught you, the one that is your lullaby."_

_Kagome nodded, flinching and crying out as the sound of more bullets flying wild reached her ears, and began to sing as her father had directed her to do. "I'll kiss the flame,_

_And reach for the stars…_

_I'll take your hand…_

_And ease all of your pain…."_

_The pair stumbled over the thicker bramble in their path causing the young girl to stumble in her song, however she pick the melody back up and began to hum the tune once more until enough time had passed that the next line would begin. She tried to ignore the burning of her legs and the aching of her lungs while she performed the task as her father bade, trying even harder to pay no mind to the angry men shooting at them from behind. The men that closed in upon the father and daughter running for their lives seemed to decrease in distance as time wore on and soon came to the point where if Kagome peeked behind her she could see the shadowy outline of their fast approaching bodies._

_"I'll dry your tears…_

_And lift up your spirits…_

_I will make you laugh…_

_And guard your heart…."_

_Soon the lake came into view and with that observation Kagome began to search for her dear aniki that her father said would be there. Another fear began to take her, did Miroku know of the men behind them, would he be hurt because he had come out to meet them. She was both relieved and bothered by his presence, Kagome knew that aniki would keep her safe no mater what, but she did not want her aniki to be hurt. Soon she was pushed in her brother's open arms, their father's strict words barely audible through the pounding of her own heart continuing the song. "Miroku now matter what, you must keep Kagome safe, keep your sister safe." He paused seeming to consider something and then said in the most defeating air she could ever recall her father speaking in. "If I don't make it back Miroku protect the family. Above all else protect your sister and let no harm come to her, do you understand me do not let anything happen to her."_

"_Take me in…_

_I want to feel your light…_

_Hold me tight…_

_I can't stand this agony…_

_Drowning in Sorrow…"_

_Miroku gave what Kagome could only call a hesitant nod as he looked about argue but held his tongue. "I will," then his eyes narrow with something she could not pinpoint, "why is she singing that song?"_

_"She was scared, I couldn't think of how to make her feel any better so I told her to sing." Suddenly she and her aniki were being pushed in to the bushes as the sound of the men so close whiffled towards their ears. "Don't move and don't come out of hiding for anything, not until morning." With that their father disappeared and that was the last time Kagome would ever see him._

_Miroku held her tight as he rubbed her back making soothing sounds in the back of his throat in between murmuring words of comfort and Kagome sang just as her father bade her to do._

_"My soul is lost to Darkness…_

_Be my guide…_

_Show me the way…_

_Bring me freedom of my pain…"_

_Suddenly Miroku stood from their hiding place bidding her to sit still while she hummed their mother's family song, and remarked about their father's lengthened time away. Her aniki said that he would be back soon, that he had to check on their father to make sure that he was okay. Kagome agreed with that, there were men with guns tailing him, and Miroku was the strongest man she knew besides her father and so if any were to protect the man it would be her Aniki. Still she did not relish the thought of being alone in the dead of night in the middle of nowhere waiting for the sun to rise._

_"Let me drown in you..._

_No longer hidden beneath a smile."_

_As the last words of the lullaby left her lips in a near muted whisper due to her fear, the world around her seemed to twist and turn before her very eyes. The landscape becoming a very familiar living room, a weight she was well accustomed to barring down in her hands Kagome let it fall with a clatter her only means of protection. The sound was deafening to her ears as her wide eyes bore sightlessly onto the bodies ambling towards her, screeching accusingly, while she sat rooted to her spot making no moves to deny the accusations made._

_"What kind of daughter are you, where were you, you could have save me." Her mother bemoaned with bloodless lips, her cloths drenched in blood and her body a rotting decaying mess. Her grandfather was besides her making his own accusations, chastising her for her lack of respect for the old._

_Tears pricked her eyes as she moved backwards, "I'm sorry," she whispered brokenly._

_"Kagome." She turned and her heart stopped, there standing just as frightful in appearance was her father. "Masume, why did you leave me? Why did you leave me to die alone, why didn't you come, how could you allow me to die? How could you allow Miroku to become cursed as he was, allow him to be hurt because you were to frightened to come yourself." Her father grasped her shoulders with bonny fingers that had loose rotting chunks of flesh clinging to the bone, swallowing hard she resisted the urge to scream. "Your really just weak, even though you say your strong your nothing but a weak little girl."_

_Kagome shook her head roughly causing her heavy tears to fly about the place of her shrine home that twisted in appearance and splattering upon the face of her long deceased father. "No," she choked, "I'm strong, I'm strong." _

_Those hands grasped her face to look into his own eyes, her grandfather held on to her left side while her mother came upon her right, sneering hatefully. "You're just a weak little girl, if you were strong you could have save us." She did not know whom the words were from and maybe they were from neither of the apparitions before her, but it did not matter as despite the denials she knew they spoke the truth. She was weak, if she were strong or strong as she made everyone believe she could saved her parents before they were killed, could have saved her grandfather but because she was too weak she had not gotten there in time._

_"No," She cried out nearly screaming as their hands descended upon her pulling her down, suffocating her, "no! It's not true, it's not true, I'm not weak!"_

**_T_**hree days Inuyasha had spent with the reeking stench of his sewer sodden cloths all because of his foolish endeavor to save the sister of man he had come to think of as a brother. His instincts would allow for nothing less, not the one to save his 'brother' but the one he had brought upon himself by melding his blood with a female he knew nothing about. Something he had sworn never to do he did out of love, the love of a brother, and despite the fact he was relieved Miroku would not have to know the pain of losing a sibling he was regretting his over the top actions.

There was no doubt about it, the girl would have died had he not performed the ritual, and she had lost so much blood yet was it really worth the consequences? Surprisingly the answer was something he did not expect, he knew he would be willing to throw everything away for Miroku just as he would for his irritating half-brother, and so having to live with this feeling always lying below his skin was okay for the time being. Eventually, if it were possible, he would have the ritual reversed. His partner would have it no other was even if it had saved his sister's life, not the he himself would not want it reversed even if Miroku for some insane reason was all for it.

Although he was clear across the safe house, the furthest bedroom from his own, he felt the pull of his blood in her. The pull the spoke to him in whispers of her mood, a ball of emotions in the back of his head that he couldn't even begin to get use to. She was in distress and he whimpered at the force such a thing brought to his body, the force of his instincts crying out to go and relieve of her of the feeling.

It was an itch in his skin, an irritating and insane itch that he could not relieve no matter how hard he tried to scratch at it with other thoughts it would not fall away. Eventually he found his feet upon the carpeted floor carrying him across the room in the direction of the girl's own, not once had she awaken in the last three days. Perhaps she had awoken now and maybe the feeling that was pulsating in the back of his head was her waking to find herself in a strange place. Maybe she was scared, and as these thoughts clouded his mind, he soon found himself in her room before her bedside.

For all appearances she seemed to be the same as the last time he had checked upon her when instinct became too much, however upon closer inspection that had him looking at her not from the doorway but her bed side in the darkened room he noticed her distress. She was making tiny noises of discomfort in back of her throat and if it were not for his sensitive hearing he would not have heard the tiny pleas she made with something he could not see. His limbs tingled, what could he do to elevate the obvious fear that cloaking her body in a putrid mist, and before he could think Inuyasha found himself beside her on the bed.

Would she wake if he tried to wake her or would she remain in the coma like sleep she had been sleeping in for the last three days? Would she remain as she had been unmoving? He whimpered again and then cursed viscously for the disgusting noise that had come from his throat, he was not a love sick fool that could not make the suffering of his lover better and yet that is what he had tied himself to. Inuyasha had no love for this girl only for the man he had come to think of as a brother, the one the girl was lucky enough to share blood with otherwise she would have been just as dead as her mother, grandfather and father. With out even realizing what he had been doing, he soon found himself stroking the side of her face murmuring reassurances in the inuyoukai language, the blood of his in her veins seeming to recognize the words causing her body to calm.

Inuyasha froze in his ministrations, swallowing thickly he just sat their still as the dead. Why, he found himself questioning again, why was it that his blood was reacting so strongly in her veins? Though none was particularly willing to discuss such a ritual with a hanyou he had heard enough about such things to know exactly how they were suppose to go and never had he heard a youkai's instincts going as haywire as his own seemed to be doing. Then again, the simple explanation for it all could be that he was trying to go against what his instincts wanted in completing the ritual, trying to suppress the pull of his crimson essence flowing through her body.

"Aniki," the girl whispered breathlessly reaching out with her hands wildly, "Miroku!" Her call was frantic this time.

The youkai of his blood sizzled when she called for the aid of a man that was not himself, and he clamped down upon the feeling trying to remind himself and his youkai half that there was no reason for such sentiments, as he did not care for her. Still he found himself reaching out for her waving hands grasping them softly within his own smiling slightly when he realized that Rin would have been laughing hard while his brother teased him for the show. More or less if anyone whom knew him were to witness the moment they might have died from shock as he was cold and ruthless incapable of showing the level of caring he had been displaying for the unconscious girl. Then again, all of his acts of kindness were always made in ways where he could not be fingered for it.

It wasn't a softening heart that had him doing this for the girl rather it was instinct, the driving need to quell the flesh that tingled from his prolonged avoidance of being near her person. Just for this night, just for now, he would indulge and then later go back to battle the ever-driving need that now seemed to lie just below the surface. Her hand squeezed his own tightly in her sleep, "Aniki, lay with me like when we were kids, please Aniki, I don't want to dream." Her words were heavy, lethargic, and as she rolled to her side, she bade him to lie behind her.

Trying to force down the lump in his throat, he moved in beneath the covers pulling her up against him, a deep crimson blush straying deeply across his cheeks. Inuyasha felt, even though she had invited him or whom she thought was her brother, as though he were taking advantage of her in her vulnerable unconscious state. Perhaps it was the thoughts his youkai half was throwing through his mind, thought's that pertained to the completion of the ritual in which he had started, the one he had no intentions of ever completing.

"Sing for me mother's song," she bade sleepily.

_Her mother's song… _Inuyasha had no idea what it could be, and was exactly the most graceful of singers and so shifting her dark locks behind her ear he whispered. "Not tonight imouto, not tonight." He hoped that she would not recognize his voice as a stranger, that she would be too exhausted with the amount of energy he was sure his blood had exuded to heal her wounds. As he started to get comfortable, he paused as though struck, he was not sleeping there with her only staying long enough for her to get over the distress that plagued her as she slept. With the level of awareness she had at moment that, Inuyasha was sure, she would likely be awake in the morning or sometime latter in the afternoon.

His arms around her, Inuyasha had his nose in her hair breathing in the scent of her body which despite days of not bathing did not smell all that bad. In a strange way, it was somewhat comforting and before he even knew what was happening, he had fallen into slumber.

**_H_**is way to the spider's domain was made in intense unease, for some reason or another he could feel a tugging in his soul as though his siblings needed him but that was insane. Kagome and Souta were dead; Miroku had to get use to that. They would never need his brotherly protection again because 'he' had taken them away from him. Balling his fists tight, he shoved them into his pant pockets and hurrying up his step out of anger. The sooner he spoke with the spider and received his information the sooner he was likely to find his revenge.

Coming to the steel door, he mused for a moment of how he was becoming like that door, of how his heart had become an impenetrable force that did not even flinch at the dark thoughts that were running through his mind. The thoughts of his revenge and of how he would carry out such a plot, the grotesque images that flashed through his mind would have, before the rage his loss had instilled, caused his heart to shutter. Foolish, his thoughts were foolish, nothing had changed in him nothing except for this new driving need to find revenge for his siblings and his other family members that had been so horribly slaughtered. Breathing evenly, or at least forcing himself to, he pushed the visions of his dead parents from his sight and the ones of which he imagined for his siblings as it was doing nothing for the tender thread that held his rage in check.

Three bangs of his fist upon the steel door seemed to do the trick of snapping himself from the introvertive thought he had been trapped under, the little slot slid open with a clang to reveal annoyed and blinking eyes. "What do ya want?" A voice snapped a distinctly male voice that was not Kikyou at all.

Unperturbed, Miroku responded. "Tell the spider the monk is here to see him."

"Tch, the dog not with you today." The voice sneered while the door clanked, creaked, and moaned as it was quickly ripped open. With grinding teeth, the ex-agent chose to ignore the barbed words, and by the glint to the now visible man's beady eyes he knew of Inuyasha's death. Still Miroku chose to remain silent and followed swiftly behind the large balding man or at least at first glance he appeared to be a man. From the slight amount of Jyaki that he could sense from the 'man' seemed to speak otherwise, so despite appearances he followed behind a youkai.

With a tip of the head, Miroku signaled that he would wait for his summons at the table nearest the back exit as he always sat with Inuyasha. If there was a chance for a fight to break out before they could make it to the spider's office, or were something to occur where they would have to make a hasty egress then he felt safer being close to an escape. Though he and his partner had the entirety of the spider's club mapped out in their heads and could find a way out from any room of the place. He sat now in deep contemplative thought the feeling in his chest not lessening any with his mind's adamant screams of Kagome and Souta's death. That feeling only seemed to grow, his bother and sister's apparent need for him tugged at his soul. Perhaps it was their need for revenge, but as soon as the thought had come, it was quickly cast aside. His siblings were not the vengeful types, then, if his siblings were dead, then perhaps it would own need to see vengeance be done on their behalf that tugged at him so.

Miroku agreed to that assessment as he ordered a bottle of vodka, the cat youkai paused to raise a brow at his request but said nothing as she left to bring him what he had asked for. He was not one to drown his sorrows out with a bottle of alcohol. However, despite that he knew he'd have nothing but a headache in the morning with time spent in the bathroom, he could not help but to think that it would be worth it just to elevate that burning feeling in the pit of his gut. In addition, if it could, for just a moment, rid him of the breathlessness of his chest as every thought turned to his loss he could find the act worthwhile in the end. Maybe, he mused, as the bottle was placed before him, maybe that was what everyone else thought as they drank away their sorrows with their choice of alcohol.

Taking a swig from the bottle, he watched the chaos going on around him, the people, and creatures of the society laughing together, having fun. For some irrational reason, he was angry with them all for acting in such a joyous manner when his sister, brother and Shippo had died, and though they had no idea, how dare they not give time to mourn for Inuyasha. His partner, his greatest friend… his brother, taking a deep breath he mentally cooled the anger bubbling beneath his slow heating skin, who on this earth would mourn a hanyou? He would, his boss and leader of the society would, Rin would, and were Shippo alive he would have, such a small amount of beings finding sadness at his loss made Miroku even angrier despite the fact he tried to quell it.

Looking upward toward the Miko Witch, as Inuyasha had lovingly named the woman, who steadily walked toward him neutrally, the monk felt grateful. He was glad for once that she would be the one to take him to see the spider, he would rather deal with her and his partner's bickering than the man whom had answered the door for him, and then he froze. There would not be anymore bickering for him to bear and with that thought he took another deep draught of the liquid that would serve to numb his mind and body from the pain of loss.

Kikyou just smiled at him, no words, nor barbs, just a smile and a quick motion of the hand that bade him to follow her. Perhaps he was wrong, maybe there was one more mourning Inuyasha's death, then again she could have just thought to be respectful of his pain and forgo her usual course of action whenever he or Inuyasha showed up to speak with her mate. "Good evening, Miko." He murmured softly, solemnly, unable to summon up his cheerful demeanor.

"As well to you, monk, though I warn you my mate is not in a great mood this night, or morning as the case would be, there was bit of trouble in the bar earlier today. A fight broke out and we had a casualty, the report will be brought to Sesshoumaru-sama in the evening when the bar isn't busy and we can spare one of the staff to deliver it." She was quite talkative, normally she was reserved until Inuyasha goaded her past her limits, and when it was just him alone she would make an acidic comment about his partner and say not a word more. Was it the pity she had for his loss that made her speak so sociably? Were his looks so atrocious that it would inspire such a cold woman to try to offer a small comfort as kind conversation?

"I see," Miroku nodded, "then you are aware that Sesshoumaru-sama will likely send someone from his guardian division to monitor the bar for awhile to make sure that another incident does not occur. Three strikes and your out, or so they say."

Kikyou sighed, "precisely why he is in a bad mood, he always stresses to the patrons that if there is violence to be had then there better not be lifeless bodies to clean up afterwards."

Suddenly he stopped and since he no longer followed Kikyou was forced to pause as well turning toward him with a raised brow as if to ask why. Yes, that was a good question, why the kindness from her, why the good conversation when in all of his years dealing with her none had ever been had? "Do you pity me? Is that why you've not mocked Inuyasha, or is it something else, I do not need your pity nor do I want it so please stop this charade and let us go back to our customary silence."

The Miko's eyes flashed in anger, "I am not offering you pity, I never would. I too am morning Inuyasha, despite our rather foul encounters, I thought of the hanyou as a brother; a little brother mined you, though I am the younger. Yes we fought, and yes he nearly had me burned at the stake, however family is family and such petty things would not have kept me from aiding him in the future should he need it. I have known Inuyasha since we were small and he is the only one besides the spider that did not scorn me or set me apart for my miko powers, I could never be glad for his death." Towards the end of her angry tirade, tears had begun to slide down her cheeks in small rivulets, causing a pang to sound in the monk's heart.

Reaching a hand out to her that was tossed aside as Kikyou tried to compose herself, he murmured his apologies. "I didn't realize the extent of your relationship and for that I'm sorry, I had gathered that you two more then despised each other."

Kikyou shrugged off his words as though to keep them from touching her, "Don't worry about it, with the way Inuyasha and I carried on anyone would have thought us to be mortal enemies. Come on my mate will start to wonder what had become of use if we take any longer." Turning upon her heel, she bade him once more with the wave of her hand to follow her, which he complied wordlessly.

As he entered the spider's office after the miko the first thing he noticed was the tense atmosphere of the room, the spider himself sitting behind his desk a scowl firmly ingrained upon the hanyou's features. Kikyou moved in and kissed him upon his cheek, whispering a few words before she left them alone to speak of business. Miroku deftly moved without so much as a sound in his passing and took a seat, staring Narku square in the eyes. "There are but two reasons for my being here, one is to inform you of my raise in status, I shall now be taking Inuyasha's place. The second is, have you any news upon what I had requested near five days ago?"

The spider, without removing his red eyes from the monk, searched his top desk drawers, grabbing a file and tossing it toward Miroku with a small flick of the wrist. "That, unfortunately, was all that I was able to find. Apparently, that little secret you wanted the answer to was locked tighter then Fort Knox, I was at least able to break into their systems after a while of trying." He snorted angrily, the man despised with a passion when he was blocked from achieving what he was paid to achieve. The spider solely believed that he should have all of the world's knowledge at his feet, and when something happens to get in the way of that, the mood that followed was never pleasant. Miroku had been told once that the hanyou would break into said system, or place, repeatedly until it became a cakewalk.

"I see," he murmured, "I'm sure this will suffice."

"I don't like things to suffice, I prefer them to be perfect." The spider pointedly spoke, slamming his hand upon his desk. "I especially don't like when I come across a place that I cannot break, It puts a real damper on my mood and than when things like today I happen I don't deal with them well." He shook his head, looking almost mystified, "Why the hell am I telling you all of this?"

"I don't know, and quite frankly I don't care, now that you have supplied me with what I need, I will leave." Standing Miroku maneuvered around his chair to the office's exit, though the spider's next words had him stilling as surely as if the hanyou had slugged him across the face.

Speaking with a poisonous undertone, Narku said smirking wildly, "I heard about Inuyasha by the way." Breathing deep, the monk tried his hardest not to allow the muscles within his shoulders to tense and failed miserably, he prayed the spider not to speak a word more. Miroku did not trust himself were the hanyou to say one ill piece against his partner, his emotions at the moment volatile at best. "Perhaps it is best that things have turned out this way, no? The impertinence of that creature has forever been silenced."

Balling his fists tightly Miroku's body came alive with the words that were hurled at him from behind, turning he made a mad dash towards the spider jumping the wooden desk he shoved the hanyou back while he was still within his chair. Next, as he pinned the creature place, he opened his mouth with one hand and shoved his pistol inside eyes morphing into cold dots of rage. The monk's hands shook as he tried to contain himself, never before had allowed words to pull at him as he did now, and spoke a deadly note. "Don't speak of Inuyasha that way again," his voice shook as he forced the gun further into Naraku's throat. "Do not speak of Inuyasha that way again, I will hear nothing ill said of him, nothing do you understand me." The spider nodded his head as much as the position allowed. Satisfied, Miroku stood shoving the gun back into his coat and hastily egressed from the office before anything else could be said, anything that could set of that tender thread that was barely holding him together.

Walking down the barely lit docks, he was thrown into a sense of unease as though someone was following him. At first, he had thought that it was a person whom had ill will towards him, but when he felt out with his "sixth sense," he could find no evil radiating anywhere. So then, he began to wonder as the first rays of sunlight began to touch the earth, who in their right mind would tail him this early in the morning? Shrugging it off, he moved without pause, keeping one eye upon the shadow that traveled with him.

Growing annoyed that he could not find the name of what hounded him from behind, he tried to focus his mind elsewhere and found that it had become quite the trying venture. All he could think of was that one lone shadow that followed him without fail no matter where he moved, no matter the twists and turns he took always there. It was getting to the point were he could think of nothing else, and yet could not think of suitable answer as to why he did not force the person from hiding just beyound his vision. It had almost become a game, were he could almost forget the pains of his past teetering around in the back of his head shadowed by this diversion. In a way he was a bit grateful to this person for giving him something to muse over, soon he began to wonder if this person even existed.

Shortly he became accustomed to the presence beside him and went on to think of other things, most importantly where he was to go next. He had to bring the document he had gotten from the spider to Sesshoumaru for him to review and see if there was anything worthwhile in it's contains. Instantly he stopped in his place the name of his stalker coming to mind not understanding why he had not noticed it earlier. He knew those moves his silent companion used as she trailed him, knew because he had taught her those very tricks.

And the very idea of it all struck him as rather humorous, so for the first time in the last few days Miroku began to laugh. It started out as a gentle chuckle resonating in his chest, then grew to the point where he was upon the ground shaking from the humor of it all. It felt so good to laugh that he began to cry, feeling a hand upon his shoulder he looked up to find the very person that had been following him, Sango. "I knew you were there, you must be loosing your touch."

"I'm sorry," Sango offered sheepishly.

"Don't be," He smiled, and found the smile widening at the shocked expression upon the assassins face, "trying to figure out who you were I block everything else out. So for a moment my pain had vanished, and for that I thank you." Grasping her wrist he pulled her down with him, chuckling once more he said, "and here I thought that I would have to drown myself in booze to escape when all I really needed was you." Not knowing how to answer him, she just sat rigid in his embrace awaiting that hand of his to activate and ruin the moment, it never happened. "I have to go to the office and see Sesshoumaru once more, but could you do me a favor. Don't worry, I'm feeling much better now." He said as he noticed a shadow cross her face at the mention of separating.

Hesitantly she inquired cinnamon eyes pensive, "what is it that you need?"

Patting her head, he shut his eyes to hide the emotions that would be a veracious maelstrom into his soul swirling around in his violet pools from her. "Would you…" he swallowed and then changed his mind, "would you bare my child?" Then as the words left his mouth he copped a feel of, in his opinion, the greatest rump he ever had the pleasures of feeling.

"Hentai," Sango ragged as she knocked him up side the head rather brutally before remembering the tragedy that had taken place.

"As always it is well worth it," Miroku remarked with a silly grin, and then his eyes softened. "Thank you Sango, I needed that."

"Houshi-sama, you are strange." With that she stood and made as if to leave, but paused, smoothing down her dark jeans and black tank she threw over her shoulder. "Glad to be of service," and then melded in with the shadows to once more watch over him even if he knew of her presence there.

**_B_**leary eyes opened slowly as the sleep drained from her body and she felt wonderful, there was so much energy coursing through her veins and she had the sudden urge to dance off the walls. She had never felt like this before, and as she moved to find a way to drain herself of this fidgety energy, she found an extra weight settled in next to her. Moving slowly, as not to disturb whom was most likely her aniki, she slid from the bed but froze as silver hair caught her eye. Last time she checked her aniki did not have silver hair, and neither did her otou. Steadying herself, she bit back the urge to scream, and swiftly placed herself beneath the sleeping stranger wrapping her arm around his throat. Squeezing hard, she demanded, "who are you?"

Before she could even register what had happened, Kagome found herself starring up into furious amber eyes with claws digging into her throat. Just as quickly as the situation turned against her, the amber-eyed stranger had moved from her entirely horrified, before rounding upon her again furious. "Are you insane," he shouted, breath ragged doggy ears twitching, "don't ever do that again, I could have killed you." Doggy ears? Why…

Taken aback that her captor, yes she had no idea where she was so decided she had been kidnapped, had embraced her and then tossed her aside as though he had been burned. This was going to be a long day, she could tell, since awaking with the lingering feelings of her nightmare that were overshadowed by the strange feeling that had stolen it all away. "Who are you?" She repeated and watched as his faced pinched in annoyance.

"Not this again," he complained and Kagome found herself raising a brow in question, "keh, you're little brother didn't recognize me either. I just thought that-" he cut off eyes widening in horror, then shuttering he acted as though he were picking up were he left off, "there is no reason for you to recognize me." He forced. "Inuyasha," he spoke with the flick of the wrist, "I am Inuyasha."

Kagome shook her head, slowly moving backwards, her eyes narrowed with her distrust. "No your not, do you honestly expect me to believe that?" She demanded, eyes narrowing more as she spun around and tried to run away. Tried being the operative word, she never made it off the bed before a strong clawed grip was pulling her back. Panic began to grasp at her heart, just what in the world was this man to match and even better the speed she had perfected all of her life, only her aniki could better her. "Where is my brother?"

"Which one?"

That stilled the fight in her, was that why he had kidnapped her, because of her aniki. Miroku said that there was reason he wanted the rest of the world to remain in the dark of their to relationship with one another, did this man find out and kidnap her for it, what her aniki feared. "I only have one brother, my outo." She replied smartly.

"We both know thats not true," amusement seemed to color his words and Kagome wished that her back was currently not held so tightly against his chest so that she would have the opportunity to wipe the expression away with a good right hook. "Listen girl, I am Inuyasha, I've already had to explain this to your brother. Actually Shippo had to explain it, I was too busy saving your life."

"Saving my life," she choked out, for some reason, those words struck a cord within her, and she could feel an intense thrill up her spine, but anything beyound that was lost, like coherent thought. "You smell bad," she shot back for lack of anything better to say.

"So do you," he returned unperturbed, "listen after I tell you this you'll enter into a society with a new set of rules. The same one your brother has now entered, and the one Miroku had been under for the eight years. I ain't gonna be baby-sitter, so you better understand that once your there your on your own, though you are lucky to have Miroku for a brother." She could feel the stranger, whom she was beginning to rethink that he had kidnapped her, shaking his head at something. "I'm youkai, or at least half youkai, the other part of me being human." He spat out as though it was a curse, the pain underlying his words striking her heart in an odd way.

She shrugged as well as she could with the… youkai's arms around her holding her steadfast. "Then I guess grandpa wasn't as nutty as we first thought," she laughed humorlessly. Why did even thinking of her grandfather bring such pain? She was strong, but even as she thought the words that she had so thoroughly convinced herself of, she could hear the whispers of her dream calling her on the lie. She was not strong, she was actually very weak, and she knew it too despite all of her bravado. Before she even realized what was happened so that she could put a stop to it, one tear slid down her cheek followed by another and another and another until full out sobs racked her form.

After the first sob that caused her to shake, she was spun around to face a very distressed looking man as the tears leaked down her face. The only thing she could feel in the moment was complete vulnerability; Kagome could not even muster the strength to be amused by the panicked fear that crossed Inuyasha's visage. "Hey," he hissed, "you can't do that, stop it now!"

"Do what?" She asked perplexed, the order distracting her for a moment from her pain.

"Cry," he accused ferociously, "what else?"

"I am not crying," from her new position she was able to hold her head up defiantly despite the cool sting of the air as it brushed against her wet face. "I'm not crying," she reaffirmed, proud this time that her voice was without the slight tremor.

Callused fingers brushed down her face, pausing before her eyes, a very visible wetness the slowly dripped down the length of his pointer and middle fingers. "If your not crying then what do you call this?" He queried softly; there was something strange about his voice that she could not at the moment pinpoint. It caused her to back away slightly from the sheer magnitude of it, as though he seemed to be warring within himself. Finally, he seemed to settle upon some words saying, "if your upset then you should show it. It's not good to hide away, things will only get worse if you go on like that."

Kagome shot him strange look, "but you just yelled at me for it."

"Keh, that was before I remembered," and he stopped, seemed to think about something and then changed his mind about his earlier words. "If you're that fearful about youkai, don't be, not all of the stories are true besides as I said before it pays to have Miroku for a brother."

Shooting him another strange look, the raven-haired girl replied defiantly, "I never said that Miroku was my brother-"

"But you ain't denying it either."

She gave him a withering glance before that glance turned into such a smoldering glare that by all rights the hanyou should have been incinerated on the spot. "I only have my outo." She answered simply and then after the slightest pause she again was speaking defiantly. "I'm not afraid of anything, I can't afford to be afraid." If she had fear in her heart then how was she ever to keep the strength that would be needed to shelter what remained of her tattered family.

"That's so stupid, every one has fears," he responded lazily, watching her with a guarded gaze. Suddenly Kagome wanted know more than anything why he was gracing her with such a look, it was beginning to unnerve her, making her feel very unsure of herself.

"Then what do you fear?"

"I have no fears," he responded.

"But you said-" she had begun to protest before had interrupted her.

"I'm not everyone," he said firmly and there was a touch of something to his tone, something bitter, acidic, an old pain. Kagome studied him a moment as he sat atop of the bed she had awoken in, his arms crossed, lips pulled into a petulant frown, as he seemed to be sulking over something. Somehow, she had a feeling that it had nothing do with the current conversation.

"This is stupid," Kagome suddenly exclaimed moving to sit upon her knees to look down upon Inuyasha, "this conversation is stupid. We should be talking about something else, like why am I here, what happened and why I can't recall anything except for a black haired violet eyed you looking for Miroku." Throwing herself back as a sudden exhaustion took hold and the previous energy that seemed to make limbs tingle with the uncontrollable urge to move fled from her. Her breathing slowed as sleep began to creep at the fringes of her mind threatening to take her body whole. "Tell me what happened."

It was silent the longest while, except for the sounds of their breathing, and she was content to wait before Inuyasha spoke. "There was an explosion, and you were badly injured. I had Shippo take Souta here while I stitched up your side." Kagome sat up abruptly pulling her shirt aside to see what he spoke of, the hanyou pausing to allow her the moment to check the injury herself of its existence. Seeing the black cord that weaved through her flesh, she felt a bit light headed, a sickening feeling building up in her gut. Still in her daze as seeing such a horrendous wound marring her side, something that she had never before had been given, she could scarcely believe it to be really upon her. She barely noticed being pulled into the hanyou's lap, the hand that smoothed up and down her back, as her eyes stared at that wound. Kagome could not recall ever being injured so badly as to need stitches, nor so badly to need, as she counted, over sixty some stitches. "Keh, its not so bad, and your alive right?" She nodded wordlessly. "So you have nothing to worry about, you're just lucky you have Miroku for a brother."

Turning in his grasp, she fixed the man that held her with a curious look, "why are you so fixated on that?"

"I'm youkai Kagome," he murmured almost self-consciously, "when you bled your scent was the strongest and I could piece together a trace that linked you and the monk as siblings."

"I see," she murmured, yawning.

Inuyasha stood from her, placing her back into bed, pulling the covers of to her chest. "You're done healing, but your body's still tired from it all, get some rest." With that said he moved from the room leaving Kagome to drift off as soon as the door had shut behind him.

**_H_**is shoulders sagged as he shut the door behind him, the strain at having to contain himself in her wakeful presence nearly too much to bear. His instincts had gone haywire at being so near after waking beside her, after touching her and once the smell of her sadness had reached his nose he had almost come undone. A woman's tears were always his undoing.

Not for the first time Inuyasha questioned whether or not he had done the right thing by saving her life the way he had, marking her forever his. They had not mated, he would have to complete the ritual first, but any youkai would be able to scent him on her flesh and feel his blood in her veins, as would any with a spiritual sense. Miroku, he thought with dread, fell under that category. The hanyou only hoped that as time went by his blood would dilute to such a point that it would barely be discernible, he also hoped that she had no lasting traits that would bring about questions. So far, the only thing Kagome had acquired was his healing ability. Were anything else to happen, were his blood not to recede he would hate to have to face off against his furious partner.

Inuyasha moved from the door as though it were a coiled snake youkai readying for the strike as he actually contemplated returning to her side and once again falling into slumber beside her. He had never slept so fitfully in his entire life; he could not afford such a sleep, in his line of work even if they were temporarily dead to the eyes of the world. That was why he had nearly slit her throat with his claws, he shuttered in disgust, as he had taken her for an enemy that had gotten the better hand over him. Even in sleep he was always aware of what went on around him, who walked past his room and he rarely every dreamt so he assumed a drugged sleep had been placed over him. His youkai half mocked him silently for not recognizing the scent of someone that belonged to him, and he could not help but agree to the taunts of his foolishness that raced around his head.

**Go back to her.**

Inuyasha moved further away from the room sniffing out the kit, now that she had awoken, now that he knew Kagome would forever not be asleep, it was safe to leave for supplies. After he deemed it safe to return to the compound, or more likely after his blood had all but dissolved from the girl's veins, he would have to see to it that safe-houses such as these were stocked properly. As it were anything edible had slight traces of mold, and the only stitch of clothing he had given to Souta and the Kit, which were two oversized shirts so that they would not catch cold in the night. There were no blankets except for the one in Kagome's room and so they had to make due with whatever towels he had not used to wash the girl's body down to stave infection from her wounds. He would have to leave and find something close by to make due with, and the only place close to this dump was the spider's residence.

**Go back!**

Finding the kit's trail easily, he opened the door to the room he shared with the girl's brother, and kneeled beside his sleeping form. Gently he shook the kitsune awake, and as those bleary eyes turned to him, Inuyasha asked. "Do you have any transforming charms left from when you worked in the shape shifter's department?" He knew that he was not about to like what he was going to do, but he had no choice if they were to survive the week that was to come.

Fully awake now, Shippo sat up carefully as not to disturb the boy sleeping beside him, and turned bright curious eyes unto the man that had taken care of him since he was three years old. "Why? They already know about the youkai, unless of course you don't want Kagome to know," his nose twitched and his eyes brightened this time in excitement, "you saw her. Is she all right, did she wake up?"

**GO BACK!**

Inuyasha almost visibly winced at the force and this time dignified the part of him with a response, _no, not yet and preferably not ever. _Forcing his lip to twitch upward into a smirk, he answered the kit, trying to keep the annoyance he felt towards his ever growing need to run back to her room and watch her as she slept just to satisfy his other half of her safety. Still he could not bring himself to entirely regret his decision; he had at least been able to save one of his brothers some grief even if he could never seem to help Sesshoumaru, at least he was able to do something for Miroku. "Yeah she's fine, I already told her about you and youkai, so you can see her if you want but first I need that transforming charm."

The kitsune nodded becoming serious, though Inuyasha could scent the excitement that lied beneath the surface and this time a smile formed without coercion, as he dug around his discarded clothing after jumping from the bed. "I only have one that will last a really long time, but I don't think you'll like it." Shippo said anxiously, hesitantly holding out the beaded necklace for the hanyou to take.

Inuyasha grasped it, but did not place it around his neck yet, as he eyed it with distrust. "What's wrong with it."

"She," Shippo clarified, "is an old lady, the grandmotherly sort."

Taking it around his neck with pensive set to his eyes and lips, he inquired stiffly, his voice coming out in a soft elderly croon, "how does it look." Inuyasha now appeared to be a short stout old woman; a frown pulling his disguised features taut as the kit cackled his amusement. "Shut up kit, or I'll make you black and blue." He meant it as an empty threat, but from the irritation that was growing steadily worse everytime the tiny ball of awareness of her in the back of his head pulsed in distress it did not turn out that way. She was having another nightmare, he could sense it, it was the same feeling he had gotten the other night before the feeling had him crawling into bed with her. Inuyasha was just so tired that he could not muster the strength to resist after fighting it for so many days. Now that awareness of her in the back of his mind was driving him mad, he could feel her distress to the point where he could actually hear the soft tilt of her pules.

**She is afraid. Go back!**

Inuyasha swallowed thickly, this little ball of her in the back of his mind always giving off such intense emotions was going to be his undoing. Why had he given her his blood, he should have tried licking her wounds clean, as his saliva would have sufficed. The thought was quickly brushed aside, she had lost entirely too much blood, and it was that alone that caused her heart to beat so faintly. His saliva could not replace blood, nor could it stimulate her system to create more blood to replace the life fluid, which was already lost, at a faster rate. There was nothing else he could have done if he were to prevent her death, so he would have to suck it up and deal or so the saying went.

"Hey Inuyasha, are you okay." The kit asked, concern literally dripping from his words.

"Of course I am," _not_, he thought in dismay, though he was not about to tell his ward of the continuous struggle he was having to undergo just to keep from thinking of the raven haired girl.

Shippo jumped into the disguised man's lap, trying to picture Inuyasha's scowling face over the grandmotherly one that peered down at him, ignoring the creepy feeling it gave him. He wagged a finger in front of, he imagined, amber eyes saying gleefully, "ahah, you told a terrididle!"

"A what-a-diddle?"

The kitsune's smile widened at being able to tell the hanyou something he did not know, suddenly feeling very intelligent, and answered with a superior air. "A fib, or pretentious nonsense. You lied Inuyasha, I could smell it." He tapped his nose and for good measure began to sniff the air around him.

"Tch, whatever," and with that stood from his position causing the kit to topple over from the abrupt movement, "I'm going out for supplies so whatever you do don't, and I repeat, do not leave this place. I don't want you and that runt getting any diseases from playing in the sewers, we don't have the luxury of going to the hospital for next week or so."

Shippo giggled and then replied confidently, "that's not true, you'd takes us even if it meant getting caught. You'd be too worried, besides you could always take us to society's infirmary."

"Keh," he crossed his arms defiantly, "I'm leaving runt." Though the kid was right, he would still rather go to an ignorant hospital then run the risk of seeing his brother or better yet his other "brother," Miroku, whom would likely kill the hanyou for what he had done to his sister. Stiffly he left the room Shippo shared with the girl's brother, and moved towards the exit trying desperately to ignore the voice that was trying to dissuade him from the leaving the safe house. He could feel that Kagome was becoming decidedly more distressed as time went on, but it was not something he could deal with now. Making sure that there was food for them to survive on and clean, dry clothing to keep them from catching anything took precedence over comforting a woman whom was having night terrors.

**Cannot leave, she needs me. Go back!**

Kagome did not need him; Inuyasha tried to convince his other half of that, trying to explain by passing the knowledge of his human half along that most human women would not appreciate what it was thinking to do to ease her tension. He did not care for her, even if his youkai half insisted based upon his blood with in her that he should take care of her, he would not listen. The only care he would give was what would be expected of him as her current caregiver since Miroku could not be there in his place and so he would be nothing more then a stand in brother. Once his partner was back in the picture he would vanish from her life and go back to his own after having found a way to permanently chase whatever remained of his blood in her veins. He refused to live with that awareness of her in his head for the rest of his days, he would go insane from it all, that is if it did not drive him there now.

Moving through the sewers as swiftly as he was able wanting more then anything to be away from the foul odor wafting up towards his sensitive nose. His eyes looking up and ahead at the same time, Inuyasha watched for the exit all the while trying to keep his mind from thinking of the girl in the back of his head. She was still having the nightmare but had calmed a bit and that seemed to have lessened the pressure lying beneath his skin. He no longer had the intense need to return and placate her torment with on of the many ways of comfort his youkai half wanted to use upon the young woman.

The egress coming into view, Inuyasha hurried his step relieved that he would be able to cleanse his olfactory of the offending air he currently breathed in. Taking to the ladder up three steps at time, he removed the lid of the manhole, and climbed out looking around discreetly for any eyes that might have seen him come up from sewer system. Seeing, sensing, hearing, and smelling not a soul around, Inuyasha quickly slide himself between two large storage units. From there he would only need to keep between the larger of the units until he came to the end of the one marked for "international usage." _Wait,_ he thought as sudden realization dawning upon him, he looked and smelled like an old woman and not his hanyou self. He could walk along the docks without being accosted for the few steps it would take to reach the spider's bar instead of having to travel the elaborate way he had first intended.

Stepping from between the storage units, the hanyou walked along as though he had a right to be there for any whom might have been traveling the docks that morning. The joint before his eyes he paid no mind to the bums and early drunks that drifted to and from the place, and narrowed his eyes. Now that he thought about it he had never really tried to remember the name of the spider's bar, thinking it unimportant, and as he stared the building down he looked for a sign stating it's identification only to find nothing. Perhaps it never had a name or maybe it was one of those, "if your in you know it and if your not you don't," type of things. He would have to make sure and ask someone sometime as, it, for some reason, was starting to bug him. Inuyasha had enough things getting under his skin.

Knocking upon the metal door with surprising strength for an old bat, Inuyasha waited for the eyepiece to slide open and a voice asking him to state his business. "What is it you-" the voice cut off, "are you lost?" The Miko witch, the hanyou almost smiled at his luck, Kikyou was just the person he wanted to see despite his better judgment.

"No," his voice crackled, a foreign note to his desguised hanyou ears, "I'm looking for the Miko Witch."

The eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Oh, and why could that possibly be?" Inuyasha did smile this time, as that was his name for her, only Miroku used it other than himself. "And just where did you hear such a name?"

"Why I need a bit of help," his disguised voice crooned, "and I call you that name just before they came and tried to burn you at the stake." Her eyes widened in shock, and quickly the door was wrenched open, her had grasping the material of his clothed arm dragging him through the joint and passed curious patrons. When they had finally come to a stop, the Miko Witch had brought them to an empty room locking the door behind them.

"That can't possibly be true," she murmured eyeing the old woman appearance up and down as though sizing it up, "that was Inuyasha." The hanyou smiled again and removed the charm from around his neck to reveal the true face of whom she watched in distrust. Again, her eyes rounded, only larger this time, her fists balling up as she looked about to cry. For a moment Inuyasha contemplated saying sorry, but that sympathy vanished as her fist collided with his face dripping of miko energy. "You bastard, how could you let me believe you were dead! I mourned you, you, for goodness sake!"

Inuyasha shot her a cheeky grin as he rubbed at his sizzling flesh that was already beginning to heal, "aww, really, I had no idea you cared Miko Witch."

Screaming her frustration, Kikyou decked him again, this time knocking him unconscious with the level of energy behind it. Sighing she berated herself for allowing her emotions to get the better of her and control her actions. Taking a seat upon the ground she resolved to sit and wait for the hanyou to awaken, it would not belong. Inuyasha never stayed out more then five minutes whenever she zapped him. Sadly he had provoked her to do worse many times, and Kikyou gritted her teeth as she thought about all of the times he had managed to make her loose the cool she worked so hard at constructing.

_**A/N:**_

This, regrettably, is where I must end the chapter. A bad place to end it, but I'm just so tired that I couldn't possibly continue, though I did write four more pages then I usually do. So I hope you all appreciate it, not that I didn't enjoy writing it.

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I enjoyed reading the ones this time around so much, they were simply wonderful, and I hope to receive more of the like to brighten up my days. Therefore, I would like to say my thanks to **Fire, rubberbandll, ADSV, hook in, coykoi, MyFav. Anime, Demon Exterminator Barbie, **and to **AngelMiko289!** Thank you so much for taking the time to review!

Anyways, here are some answers to the questions I was asked a lot in the reviews. I decided to answer some things rather then keeping you all guessing.

_**How many chapters do you intend to write?**_

Don't really know, when ever I write I kind of just go on until the story completes itself, though if I were to guess where it would end I might say around in five to ten chapters.

_**Why did Inuyasha leave his sword?**_

Well he does not want anyone to know that he was alive, or for anyone to come looking for him and lead the wrong kind of company to his whereabouts. Pretty much it was a, "in the moment," kind of thing. Right now, however he doesn't wanting anyone to know hes alive until he can figure out what do with Kagome.

_**When will Miroku realize that his family is alive?**_

Hmm… depends really, probabaly not for a while, don't really know.

_**How was Miroku cursed?**_

I won't be reaveling that until the after the next chapter…

_**Is Kagome going to be a miko in this story? Will she have dog-ears?**_

Is she a miko, all will be revealed in time, however I won't be giving Kagome dog ears. Some of you might be disappointed to hear that, but I figured there's too many stories that result in that when Inuyasha and Kagome share blood. I wanted to go about it in a different way, though I'm sure someone out there has done something simular.


	16. Without Reason

_**A/N: **_

Sorry for the long wait, folks! I just couldn't find a good way to put this angst filled, and yet charming, chapter into words. Though I do like the look of it, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. So Read, Enjoy and Review!

One thing, all I can say is poor Miroku.

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**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Inuyasha!

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

**_Chapter Sixteen: _**Without Reason

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_**B**reath, nice and slow, just breath,_ Sesshoumaru's mind intoned firmly as he fought to release his hold of the woman in his arms. Eyes slowly bleeding red and for once the inuyoukai were unsure for the reason. Were it because he had a name to place to the man he had been pursuing for years or were it for the simple fact that Kagura was trying to extract herself from him? A growl rumbled in his chest and to distract himself from the last thought he inquired stiffly as he still tried to work his arms from her form. "Houjo, his name is Houjo," as this name formed upon his lips he felt acid build in the back of his throat. "What is his position, tell me everything that you have learned of this man?" He requested, and though he knew that they should be seated for such a conversation, he could not yet let the woman go.

"Let me go," she murmured trying to press herself from his firm embrace despite the fact that she truly did not want to leave. "This is hardly the proper position for this type of talk." Kagura added when he did not immediately do as she commanded.

To release her was a difficult task indeed, because when his arms fled from her body, when her warmth fled from his flesh, he felt as though he had allowed her to fall beyond his reach. Could the woman he had watched over, had cared for and provided for truly mean to walk away from him? The thought caused his eyes to flash briefly, though it went unseen by the wind youkai as he had shut his eyes out of frustration. "Right this way miss proper," Sesshoumaru bade as he lead her to a plush chair, she took the seat with a little laugh, and he on the other hand did not feel the need to take a seat.

"Humph," Kagura snorted, "restoring to name calling just like the old days. You haven't called me that in so long…" that was the inuyoukai's pet name for her when they had been growing up. A name he had not uttered to her in ten long years, a name that he only ever spoke out irritation, a name that he had given her due to -what he claims- her excessive need to not act in any way that would be considered ill-appropriate.

"And you haven't cared for such things in so long."

She grunted at the haughtily spoken comment, shooting her long time companion a heated glare. "I am going to ignore those words for now, because I know that you're not insinuating my ethics have fallen. You're just trying to be a bastard." She replied surly, sticking her nose up in the air trying to look down upon the taiyoukai from her seated position she inquired stiffly. "Do you want this information I have or not?"

Sesshoumaru tried to keep his frown, but his eyes smiled ruining the whole effect. The picture that the woman presented lightened the air a moment for amusement, only Kagura would try to talk down to him in such away in such a position. It was something he had always admired in her personality even if at times it could prove to be quite irritating. "By all means, Kagura, continue." He drawled, he was feeling light for the time being and he was going to enjoy it before reality would come crashing back in and steal the small comfort away.

"Now you want to know more of Houjo," she queried more to reaffirm the knowledge rather then to seek it, at Sesshoumaru's nod she went on. "He is my boss, of course you already know that, his position being the head of internal affairs, however he is always hinting at another hidden position that he holds." Kagura snorted, "says even most of the higher ups are non the wiser to it's existence. It was one of the many comments he had made that lead me to this conclusion. Every time I'm in his presence something crawls up my spine, it is almost like being in the presence of true evil, except that aura seems to dissipate when he is before a large group of people. When he has you, alone you feel as though he is starring straight into your soul, as though he is trying to grasp at it, to own it. I'm not sure if he is the man that has terrorized us for so long, but there's this feeling that I have that makes me believe that Houjo might be the one."

Impassively Sesshoumaru had stood and listened to Kagura's story, swallowing back the growl that nearly spilled from his throat as the fear in her scent wafted towards his sensitive nose. The wind youkai was never fearful of anything, even if she were she would never show it to such a degree that both her countenance and scent screamed of it with such a height that he himself could feel her terror. "I will have his background dug up, I will make inquiries, but for now Kagura I want you to stay away from the agency until we have things figured out."

Kagura leapt up from the chair, knocking it over with force she had exuded in standing to challenge the teriyaki's order. "How dare you, because of your insecurities I will not give up my work." She would not give up her one chance at proving herself without a tooth and nail fight.

In that moment he was tempted to tell the infuriating woman he had known since his earlier years the truth of the mission he had given her, the mission that so clearly gave her a sense of strength. Normally he would have blurted out the words to snuff out that fire, however he could not bring himself to do so, and instead said. "If Houjo is truly what you believe then it is too dangerous for you to remain in his services." No, he could never crush that fire in her eyes, would never forgive himself if he were the cause of death to her spirit. The wind.

Bringing herself closer to him, narrowing her eyes further, she blurted out more information that she intended to keep to herself in her anger. "I could spy on him for you, I could report on his actions his movement, he trusts me enough not grow suspicious if he sees me hanging around. He wants me to work for him, I mean really work for him, and if I pass all of the tests he keeps throwing at me then I could be valuable to you for once and we'll know for sure." She pleaded, "let me prove myself to you for once."

Something burned in Sesshoumaru's chest, something that he could not put a name to as he watched the wind stand before him with a stoic gaze. Yes the wind stood before him, beautiful, peaceful, forceful, soft, and utterly wonderful to be in the presence of, the wind was free and no one could stop the wind from moving as it wished. That was another part that he disliked, he could already tell that were he to deny her this, a part of her would disappear, the part that made her as blissful and serene as the wind. "Do you truly wish to leave me, after all I have done for you," he whispered and then spoke something completely at odds with the wounded breath that washed over her moments before. "The wind is free, never meant to be caged, but too be allowed to flow in time traveling the world unrestrained, in utter bliss. Your are the wind, an elemental youkai so completely tied to her element, that it would be a sin to force you into something, to cage you." Suddenly he looked tired, "do as you wish I will not stop you. Be free Kagura." He turned to leave before his youkai got the better of him and took back all of his words, demanding that she never leave his side.

Swiftly Kagura caught his arm, turning him around to face her. "Your such a baka, I don't want to leave you." Looking away to hide the crimson stain that steadily became brighter as it slashed across her cheeks she spoke words she had always dreaded to say in his presence. "I want to prove myself to you, I want to be worthy of you."

"Why?" His voice was hushed in the sudden tense silence of the room, everything whether it breathed or not seemed to wait upon batted breath as the elemental woman opened her mouth to spout out declarations of some kind. Oddly, Sesshoumaru found his chest squeezing in an unfamiliar way, both being pleasant and unpleasant.

"I-I mean were friends aren't we, I want prove that you can count on me as well, I don't want to be something useless to you." Kagura stuttered out feeling very unsure of herself as those amber eyes stared into her own revealing nothing of their thoughts to her, for the first time she found herself unable to read her childhood friend.

Although the fiery woman before him claimed friendship he could not help but feel as though she meant it as something more. "I have always trusted you, near above all others, there is no need to prove yourself."

"Humph," Kagura quickly looked away from his intense gaze, "yes, you trust me to bring you your coffee and morning news paper. I want the type of trust that you have in Miroku and Sango, hell the trust you have in Kouga would suffice!" She snapped.

Not being able to hold it back Sesshoumaru chuckled lightly, "you do not want the trust I have in Kouga," he stated firmly. "That type of trust would have you the furthest away from me, yes I give the wolf semi-important jobs, but that is only for the fact the he is good at what he does." How did he get the fool woman to believe that she was one of his most trusted, how did he get her to believe that she never was and never will be seen as something useless to him? Perhaps a more blunt approach would sway her hand; "I've never viewed you as useless Kagura."

Crossing her arms as well as her legs, she huffed, "You say that I am the wind, well the wind can seep through the cracks unnoticed as the enemy. Please Sesshoumaru, I have to do this."

Suspiring heavily, the taiyoukai moved across the room to stare out the large windows that always stood at his back while he worked. Those, bullet proof, windows he had installed because Kagura was the wind and he could not imagine having the woman work with him in armored building with no views to the outside. "If I allow you to spy upon Houjo you have to promise me one thing."

Leaping to her feet Kagura came to stand at his back, her ruby eyes watching their reflection cast upon the window as day light rose across the horizon. "What is it, I'll do anything," she queried breathlessly, was he finally going to see things her way? Though she knew that hope was too much to try to grasp at, she still did so.

"That you will not die."

Kagura froze, "I-"

"If you cannot promise then I will not allow you to go through with this plan of yours." He said firmly mistaking her stiff posture for uncertainty in being able to comply with such a wish. Sesshoumaru had to swallow hard in order to squish the growl that almost came bubbling forth, she could not die, he would not lose another piece of his soul.

"I promise, " _that I will try._ She finished the rest wordlessly, knowing that the stubborn inu would never agree unless he had her full unanimity. She hated omitted things from him, but she would do so if in the end she could get him to believe her to be worthy. She watched as Sesshoumaru let the breath he was holding free and felt herself soften, there was never a day since she had first meet the youkai that she had not felt her heart ache for him. Seeing that he made no moves to do anything else but to stare out the window, Kagura decided that it was time to leave him before he resolved to change his mind and deny her what he had moments ago allowed.

"Kagura," she paused questioning whether or not she should make a run for it, but stopped turning to face him. She was not a coward she would not run from him, not if she was to prove herself worthy. "Have you noticed that Rin is rarely around lately." She could hear the concern heavily laced in his tone and it tore at her chest.

"She and I rarely ever see each other, not since…" _not since our fight over you. _It was stupid really, and it had ended the many years of friendship with her only best friend other then Sesshoumaru. Every time she saw Rin lately she felt that pang of guilt in her chest, she had been the one to initiate the fight over a rumor, and had the tangible need to reach out, to make things right between them. Kagura just was not sure, if the human girl really wanted their friendship mended; however, the elemental youkai did not want things to stand as they were. "Why do you ask?"

"I have not seen her these past few days, and like you, she had got it in her head to be independent when in actuality her problems were too large to handle on her own." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he moved to seat himself in the large desk chair suddenly seeming very tired despite the fact, for all appearances he was the invincible taiyoukai he always was, she could see it in the gentle slump of his shoulders. "Do me a favor, despite that you both are at odds, find her and try to divulge the reasons for her disappearance from her." Everything seemed to be falling apart at the seams and it felt like he was powerless to stop it.

"I will," she promised as a sting of worry bit at her heart, Rin never withheld anything from Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha. Could the news of his death have troubled her so much that she went and did something stupid? So deep into her thoughts, as she left the office, Kagura did not notice the haunted man that walked passed her to see the taiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru however did notice, and watched impassively as the man strode forward slamming the file upon his desktop wordlessly, waiting for it to be acknowledged and read. Taking the document in hand, he flipped it open and immediately his amber gaze scanned down the perfectly type words. "Were you given any trouble?"

The answer was slow in coming, "no. However I did shove this pistol down Naraku's throat for a comment about Inuyasha, and you don't have to worry about complaints," he forestalled the angry reply, "as then Narku would have to admit to his crime." Miroku then tossed the gun to Sesshoumaru whom caught the weapon effortlessly, looking the smooth metal over thoughtfully before tossing it back.

"Keep it I have another mission to send you," and then went back to reading the document. According to the documentation, Hakujo Higurashi had stolen something of import, but exactly what the object was lied in mystery. There were several places were they spoke of a disk that had the specific information he sought, but that too, had been taken by the elder Higurashi. One line however had his explicit attention, and he read it a few times in order to wrap his mind around its meaning, 'the object had the ability to the destroy the entire society in one fell swoop.' Sesshoumaru shuttered, it didn't matter what the piece was all that the inuyoukai knew was he had to have it before 'he' found it and put it's possible abilities to use. "Apparently your father really did manage something worth killing for, something that may be able to single handily destroy the society. Recall, Miroku, did your father ever mention such a thing or even hint at it."

The monk hesitated in answering again, "as I said four days ago the time for secrets is passed. If were going to get this miscreant then you need to know everything, things I was sworn to secrecy to keep." The ex-agent fingered the gun's hilt from its place in the holster as his side ideally as he tried to put into words his thoughts, "the day my father died he told me under no uncertain terms am I allowed to let harm come to my sister. I did not think that it was important, except that, his final hours were spent with Kagome, and she was there for the chase and even saw him die. She disobeyed and saw everything, still the only thing I was told to do was allow no harm to come to my sister and I failed." The last few words were spoke with such forlorn note that even Sesshoumaru, against his will, felt a pang in his heart, he, too, had failed in his elderly brother duties. "Do you think," the question was slow in coming, reluctant to leave Miroku's mouth, "that perhaps she knew without realizing the knowledge she had?"

"Damn," Sesshoumaru cursed; in a rare show of the limited foul words he knew and would dare to let fall from his lips. "I hope then that she was the only way they could find this said object as I do not think that what ever this object is can be replicated easily or they would not have gone to such lengths to recover it."

"Obviously whatever it was is a lost cause at the moment, perhaps we should concentrate on the disk, maybe its whereabouts are easier to locate." He began to pace in his torrid thought and then said, as he stopped, "the shrine home. My father's office, there was a place hidden in the back that he would keep his most important case files, he had it built because Kagome had a tendency to dig around in there reading things she wasn't suppose to know. She had always been a curious girl." He could not help the found smile that twisted his lips nor he could remove the haunted look of his eyes as he thought about her and little brother.

"I'll have the kitsune's look into it."

"No," he put his hands up in a pacifying manner, "I mean no disrespect Sesshoumaru-sama, its just that there is a booby trap placed round the hidden enclosure that had been placed a few days before my father's death. It is what leads me to believe that the disk might be hidden there and the only way to open it is Higurashi blood."

"Fine then, shall I have the kistunes' give you a warm family welcome or would you rather I have them leave on a family outing?" The question was purely meant for the monk to decide his own mental stability, the youkai was not about to send his second best man out on a mission that would break him. Therefore, the glare thrown in his direction was much unappreciated. "I ask this out of consideration for what you may desire, not for my own amusement. Had I need of amusement I would visit the wolf still at infirmary." He snorted amber eyes upon the documents in his hands, making a mental note to have the spider try to delve deeper into the matter. Sesshoumaru was determined to have the power of which 'he,' obtained, and that of which Hakujou Higurashi had stolen.

"I apologize, Sesshoumaru-sama, for my disrespect." Miroku murmured obediently.

The youkai grunted, "see that you do not repeat it. I could have very well made the decision myself." Under normal circumstances that is the road he would have taken, he was not weak with human emotion and would not have his position questioned, nevertheless Miroku was a family friend. More precisely a dear friend of his brother's, a useful subordinate, and for that reason, the man could practically get away with anything. That little fact was never spoken aloud as knowing him, as the taiyoukai did, he would use the knowledge to his advantage anyway possible.

Unsure, the monk piped up, "do I still have a choice to make, because if I do I would prefer them no to be there."

"Hai, I will make the necessary preparations, as knowing those idiots down stairs, they'll get something wrong like they've been doing nearly all week." Seeing the monk's look Sesshoumaru suspired heavily as he tried to keep the growl from his voice, "Rin is no were to be found and Kagura has got it in her head to be our spy in the CIA."

Normally a remark would have been made from his lips about the taiyoukai's woman troubles, Miroku just did not have his normal zeal to speak such things and so kept silent in that area. "Having been in that line of work, would you like me to speak with her, there is no way that I could return but I can worn her of the dangers she is facing." He offered off-handily.

"Not at the moment no," Sesshoumaru replied lowly, "you already have enough on your plate this evening. Before you go the shrine handle this errand first." He commanded as he placed the papers back into the yellow folder they had received from the spider, then placed the neatly put together document inside his desk drawer that had a magically sealed lock. Only the inu youkai brothers could open it. "We have a traitor in our midst," he began, "a bull youkai that seems to be feeding 'him' information about our movements, or more precisely yours and Inuyasha's." He tossed the ex-agent a colored photo to view, and it was caught single handily. "That is the bull, disgusting isn't he," he spoke acidly towards the bulging figure that looked better suited to be a couch potato then in the high risk job he had chosen, "the new recruit Bruno. Apparently he excels in hacking, more then excels as he had been looking into the resent files that had been created for the two you had stowed away into Inuyasha's penthouse. I call you for this mission as I figure that you would want a semblance of revenge for your fallen siblings, perhaps it will have you on your feet and out of this strange place you've found yourself." His amber eyes watched the unmoving form studiously for any change, and finding none, he went on to say, "for this mission you'll need a special gun made for taking down a youkai of his bulk."

Reaching around beneath his desk Sesshoumaru found what he sought and tossed the long barreled gun to the monk for his inspection. Sleek in appearance, it was quite light for such a large sight, and fit his hand rather comfortably. Taking it all in, the heft, the trigger and the down side of barrel, he determined that it would be an average difficulty for accuracy in long and mid rage but slightly burdensome on short. The length of the gun could easily be cut down by youkai claws or even a sword. Eyeing it under a heavier scrutiny Miroku changed his assessment, this was weapon was fortified with the youkai's own blood. Starting, his eyes flew up to meet intense amber, "I see this revenge is not only mine." He remarked lightly.

"No, it is not, I too want the betrayer to be punished painfully since Inuyasha is not here to do it and I can not stray too far from the office now that Kagura has made this fool hardy choice." Miroku nodded his understanding, knowing the youkai's heart towards the elemental woman even if, like most males, he never spoke of it. Miroku had knack for knowing these things. "These are the bullets for the weapon," he slide the case across the lacquered top of his desk, "they are specially made for the gun, or really the gun for them."

Sliding a bullet from its place among the others, he was shocked to see it winged with tinny blades, and they too were laced with the youkai's blood. "I have never seen-" he cut off with a hiss and dropped the bullet that burned his flesh with a horrible pain. "What the hell was that?" He queried furiously, angered gaze switching the smug youkai before him in question.

"My poison," he answered simply, "they are laced with the venom the drips from my claws."

"Really," cobalt eyes swung to the deadly piece, "then how do you expect me to handle it, I only have human flesh you know?"

Tough leather gloves were thrown towards him, "with these, they were developed for Inuyasha, but they will work for you."

Miroku donned them quickly, "I thought Inuyasha was immune to your poisons?" He curiously inquired, picking the bullet he had previously dropped; he slammed it in to the six-part chamber of the gun.

"He's immune to the effects, but it still burns the flesh worse then acid." Sesshoumaru replied distracted, as his mind was focused upon forcing the remembrances of his battles against his younger brother far from his mind as, despite his want, they were too painful to recall anon. For a half-youkai, Inuyasha was immensely strong, and always gave his elder brother a good work out during their sparring sessions, even winning a few. All of the younger brother's wins were hard earned, as Sesshoumaru was not one to lose to boost up another's ego, even if that someone was a sibling.

"I see," having loaded the gun to its full capacity, he pocketed the other bullets swiftly, placing the gun through his belt loop, "consider the traitor dead." Miroku stood from his seat, taking the black envelope from the youkai's out stretched hand. Having played the assassin a few times before, he knew that envelope contained the details of his mission, everything that the taiyoukai himself had not said, time was of the essence. He could learn of the mission as he walked toward it.

"You are to meet with him on my behalf at the technology unit located on the east half of the docks, he will think it is a request for a job and will be expecting you in two hours." Miroku merely nodded to explanation.

**_C_**onsciousness came to the inu-hanyou in layers, and he laid in his position upon the floor for a moment as he sorted through his memories for the reason why he had been unconscious in a room that smelled of heavy alcohol and medicinal herbs. As though being bright sided by his brother's fist, everything came to Inuyasha in a flash, and just as quickly he was upon his feet pointing an accusatory finger toward the woman who had slugged him with her famous right hook. "Damn you Kikyou, why'd you have to go and do that?" He queried ferociously; rubbing at his singed cheek that had not even come close to healing.

"Don't you dare take the tone with me," Kikyou began murderously, "how dare you fake your death. Better yet how dare you make me feel the tiniest bit of sadness at you being dead for nothing." Her voice rose shrilly as she paced about the tinny room, clenching, and unclenching her tiny fists.

Immediately Inuyasha descended upon her, slapping a hand over her mouth, "Keep your voice down," he commanded and hissed quietly when her human teeth bit into his hanyou skin. He let go, "what was that for?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know," she growled, "don't you dare touch me again without my permission or else I will run to Narku screaming at the top of my lungs." The miko warned a deadly note to her tone, muttering under her breath. "Only for you do I lose control of my temper, oh how I hate you."

"Look," Inuyasha began, "I don't much like you either, but I'm in a bit of a jam and need some help."

Surprise flashed across the miko's visage; "you need my help? What about your brother, or Miroku, why continue on with this farce when you are so obviously alive?"

He shrugged the comment off, and remarked off-handily, "I've my reasons." With a sigh he pinned Kikyou down with a pointed look, he was not going to leave without first getting the miko to agree to help him and not say a word about it to her mate. That last one was going to take a long battle before he got those words of agreement tumbling from her dark painted lips. "Look," he said leaning against the nearby wall, "I've got three people to cloth and feed not including myself, but I don't really matter. You may not want to help me, but would you turn down Shippo?" He added purposely touching upon a sensitive subject for the miko.

Kikyou narrowed her eyes, "fine, what is it you want?"

Inuyasha grinned, fangs over lapping his bottom lip, "just some cloths for two little boys and a girl around your size and enough food to last the week." He then frowned, the girl was awake again, and he could feel it in the little ball of her resting in the back of his mind. "Don't get none of that crap you wear, I don't want the girl to look like she walked out of a sleazy horror flick."

With holding a scandalized gasp, Kikyou returned naturally. "You never know, she might like it, I mean you are the only one whom does not like how I dress."

Inuyasha barked a laugh, "that's cause you dress in a way that's meant to draw the eyes of other men despite the fact that it covers everything, I don't see how Naraku can stand it, he has nearly just as strong of youkai as myself."

Looking at the hanyou through a slitted gaze, Kikyou suddenly became sly, as she answered humorously, "Are you saying that you hate the way men look at me Inuyasha, are you saying that you have a crush on me?"

The hanyou made a face, "don't joke like that, it's just disgusting. That's like saying I want my sister, if I had one, and that ain't right." He shuddered violently, and then eyed the woman suspiciously, "just don't get her anything like that, I know she won't like it," _and Miroku would hate it. _He justified to his mind, actually his youkai might not be able to stand being around her without having peculiar thoughts, and he was already having enough of those. Inuyasha was not admitting that he found Kikyou attractive in her outfits, nor was he admitting that his eyes wandered about her form, all he knew was that Kagome would be problematic to be around if she dressed like the Miko Witch. It was already difficult enough having her in his head, having his youkai always thinking of her, mourning being so far away from her when he should have been there for the girl waking up the second time. "Don't get anything that shows too much skin, preferably things cover her completely."

The miko eyed him oddly, "Inuyasha you're acting strange. What have you done?" She moved across the room from where she retreated to keep her distance, when she was annoyed with the hanyou she usually decked him with a miko charged fist. If they were going to get through the conversation she had to keep her distance, this time, however she made an exception as she pulled his face down to better see the irises. He protested to the movement trying to pull away, after a moment she released him, having already seen what she needed to see. "What did you do," she whispered, a feeling of dread welling in her gut, "you have so much guilt and there's something different about your youkai. It's pulling you somewhere, acting against you, what did you do?" She questioned once more.

Inuyasha remained silent as he thought about what to say, he could not lie, as with Kikyou's powers she would be able to sift it out before the fib even before left his mouth. Still what did he tell her, what could he allow that would be close enough to the truth it went undetected. "Some stuff happened and I thought she was going to die," he removed his gaze from the miko to settle upon the door, "I did what was necessary to keep her alive."

"Yes, but at what expense," Kikyou murmured lightly.

Since she understood what he had done, Inuyasha replied icily, "she doesn't have to know. I'll keep her from it and she can remain free."

"Little wonder why your youkai is acting against you," she said airily, "look I'll get what you need together and say that I am gathering it for the societies orphanage for the old lady that stopped by." At his odd look she added, "I know that you'll want this transaction to remain a secret, though I cannot promise that Narku will not find out. If my mate asks me directly you know that I must tell him." At Inuyasha's curt nod, she added, "good then put your charm back on, Narku is getting curious by all of the emotions running through me. Only you could get me to lose my control you know."

"Keh, I doubt he'll start questioning whether or not I'm alive," the hanyou returned after having slipped the charm over his head, "this thing ain't got much time left, meet me over by the International storage unit." His now old sounding voice croaked, he opened the door the room they had been conversing in and left. Kikyou glared at the closed door more then a little miffed that the hanyou would question the intelligence of her mate, then again Inuyasha though himself untouchable.

Leaving the room a while after her cloaked friend, the miko headed toward the storage room toward the way back of the bar where she kept the spare clothes that she could not help purchasing. Ever since that day four years ago when she found out that her womb would never carry a baby, Kikyou had made it her mission to care for every orphaned child that found it's way into the society's orphanage. Hand resting upon the door handle, she sighed sadly, knowing that she would never hear the pattering feet of her own children or the gales of happy laughter echoing from their throats.

Hands rested themselves upon her shoulders, warm breath at her ear. "Koishii, what is wrong, I'm feeling so many things from you right now. It's hard to decipher." Kikyou leaned back into the warmth of her mate, taking comfort from his presence. "Why the sudden anger, why the sadness?"

Kikyou sighed a forlorn note, "there is just so much on my mind right now." Pulling away, she turned to face her mate head on, dragging her emotions under control, she said faintly. "An old woman with the orphanage came by asking for donations, I bought a few things last time I was out and now would be a good time as any to bring them in."

Naraku's lips upturned just the tiniest bit, "I hope that mutt understands what your risking for him and appreciates it." The spider chuckled at the surprise that flashed a crossed his mate's visage. "I pay attention to detail, Koishii, it is my job. You never donate on Fridays, opting for Sunday right before the school days begin so that the children have something nice to wear for school. The dog is only one on this planet that can cause you lose your cool so quickly other than myself, not to mention small traces of his scent cling to you." The amusement she could feel in the back of her head, the space reserved for all that was Naraku began to take its effect over her until she was smiling slightly, trying to resist the urge to laugh as well. "You punched him again didn't you?"

This time Kikyou did laugh, "I did," her mate was getting entirely to much enjoyment out of the situation.

Leaning forward, his lips brushed lightly against her, "for the that alone I shall keep my silence. No one shall hear of this from me, just don't get caught Koishii." The spider implored before leaving his mate to her own devices, she watched him go with a small smile before disappearing behind the door to gather some clothing, guessing entirely for the boy as Inuyasha had given no details to his size.

**_T_**he office was pitch black despite the fact that it was two in the afternoon, the heavy curtains were drawn forward blocking out the light of the sun from entering the room creating a dismal atmosphere. The old man pacing his way across the burgundy-carpeted floor was at the peek of his annoyance; he had known nothing greater since these past few days. Akihito Houjo snarled fiercely as he thought about it, his own foolish mistake, and the constant disappearances of his grandson. There had been no one of higher intelligence that he could converse with, make other plans with, and that alone would have been enough to set of his short leashed temper. This development had the old man trembling with barely suppressed rage and he had no one to release it on.

Forcing his body still in movement, he tried to wash the anger from his limbs, but it would not leave. Hearing someone enter the room from behind him, Houjo rounded upon the intruder, eyes flashing in his rage. Seeing whom it was he roared, "Where on earth have you been boy?"

Taken aback, Haku responded slowly, cautiously, "I have been around, what has you so angered grandfather?" Truthfully, he had just gotten back on another outing with Rin, the wonderful girl whom was slowly beginning to restore his soul bit by bit. He was going to see her again latter that night to watch the world through her living room window like they had done together ever since that night, such a peaceful experience with her, hearing her even breath as he lost himself in the stars.

"You're disappearing every five seconds and you want to know what has me so angered!" Akihito was practically frothing at the mouth as he slammed a fist upon his desk that he stood beside, "where is it that you're always running off to?"

"I'm always disappearing and you've never had an issue with it before, what really has you so upset?" Haku's voice became steel as he recognized another one of his grandfather's famous tantrums, "snap out of this fit and became the man I know you to be and not a five year old boy." He chastised harshly, gentleness would do nothing for his grandfather, a man that was tougher then diamonds.

For a moment, Haku feared that the old man would say nothing and continue with his rampage throughout the day, but his grandfather surprised him with soft mournful words. "I killed her Haku, the girl, I killed her."

Breath seized in his throat, he was unaware that his grandfather could feel remorse, then dread filled Haku's heart. Who had his grandfather killed? "Grandfather," he questioned slowly, "whom are you talking about?"

"That night, I punished them for your folly, but I didn't realize that it was only the children of the traitor." He bemoaned, "that child, she knows where it lies, but she is dead!" All at once, the rambles made sense to Haku, his grandfather had not suddenly grown a heart, and rather he mourned the loss of their secret weapon against the secret society. The young man felt ill, and with out saying a word of leave, Haku egressed from the extremely stuffy office as the old man wept upon the floor over his loss. Quite abruptly, he felt the need to see Rin's innocently smiling face.

**_T_**he slosh of the ocean washing up against the docks was music to the ex-agent's ears, the smell of the sea breeze washing over his form pleasantly left him in a state of euphoria. Miroku did not remember ever being so relaxed before an assassination assignment, he was nervous before the act of ending life came about, but in a disturbing way he was looking forward to it. The bull youkai deserved an end such as this for taking Kagome and Souta from the world, from him, and the monk was only so happy to give it.

Patting the gun's hilt that was a heavy weight in his belt upon his left side, Miroku moved away from the dock's edge, treading further towards the unit's entrance. It was this place where he was to meet his pray, as it was this place were his justice would be bestowed upon the miscreant that had taken his away his heart and soul through traitorous betrayal. Ingressing through the eastern technological unit, for the technologies that were sent throughout their own country, Miroku eyed around the quiet enclosure for his prey. Within this thick-walled confines no one would be-able to hear the bull youkai scream out his final breath, nor would they see him fall into death.

"Monk, I hear that Sesshoumaru has need of my services."

Turning to the sound of the question, Miroku chuckled darkly as he eyed in person the creature that had ripped away his last remaining happiness. "You are correct," his hand made its ways to his left side enclosing around the wooden hilt of the gun Sesshoumaru had given him, "and that is to die." Swiftly he shot the bull's leg, insanely; he wanted the creature to know absolute anguish before he put the youkai out of its misery.

"What is the meaning of this," the bull cried out putting pressure upon the wound in his thigh, "I've served the Taiyoukai fatefully--"

Another shot rang out in the storage unit causing the words to die in the creature's throat, "fatefully? You call selling out to 'him' fateful, you're a spy for the enemy and for that the punishment is death." Miroku chuckled at the dear caught in the headlights, the bull finally realized it was about to be run over, "you told him about my sister, about my brother, and now they rest peacefully in heaven." Another projectile was spun through the corkscrew nozzle; the blade studded bullet ripping through the bull's fleshy stomach as though it had been drilled through. The poison of Sesshoumaru's claws must have been taking effect as the hideous creature tried to claw his way toward him after falling from the last blow to make an offensive strike. Miroku fired again as he spat his disgust; "may you find suffering in hell."

His limbs shook as he continued to fire, six shots, reloading it he began again unable to bring himself to stop. He wanted to stop, Miroku could hardly stand the sight of the bloody mass he had created, but he could not bring himself to stop. The bull deserved it, his siblings had been consumed in the fire, their flesh burned beyond recognition. He still had yet to see them, still had yet to make the arrangements for a proper burial, he could not bring himself to go like he could not bring himself to stop firing.

"That's enough," a female voice cried out, "he's dead already!"

In his crazy haze Miroku registered the voice as a threat, spinning on his heal he shot the last blade studded bullet causing the female to cry out in pained surprise. As his bloody haze vision cleared the ex-agent gasped in horror, rushing to the injured woman's side, he fell to his knees hands hovering but not touching. "S-Sango, I…" he breathed fear causing his limbs to shake uncontrollably. Where was the point of entry, he could not find the wound with his eyes as he searched her form madly. "Where…."

Sango chuckled faintly, "its not that bad," she murmured pulling down the hoodie she had acquire from the time he last saw her, revealing her left arm. A long red gash marred her tanned skin, blood spider webbing down the length of flesh, causing Miroku's heart to palpitate in alarm at the amount of oozing crimson. "Don't worry about it," she tried to assuage, but nothing could calm him in that moment, "it only grazed me." If only that were the truth, if only she did not look so pale, if only she did not look about to fall unconscious.

"Sango, It was laced with Sesshoumaru's poison," he managed through his strangling breath. What had he done? In his madness, he had erased another treasure out of his life.

"Oh," Sango whispered, breathless, "is that why I feel so faint?"

He wanted to touch her just to assure himself that her skin was still warm with life, but could not bring himself to touch her with cursed hands. "I'm so s-sorry s-" before he could even finish the sentence, his final treasure pitched forward, conscious light fading from her eyes. Miroku caught her shoulders, shaking the assassin lightly, "Sango?" He questioned, trying to grab her attention, to rouse her to wakefulness. "Sango!" He suddenly screamed, shaking her madly. Seeing her head lifelessly flail to the side, the monk forced himself to stop his hysterical antics, trying to force a semblance of calm to reside over his heart. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out his cell-phone, dialing in a well-used number.

"You've got a mess, well clean it up, no matter how acidic," the voice claimed cheerfully, "how can we help you?"

Under normal circumstances Miroku would have remarked on how the cleaning crew of the organization copied the kitsunes' in how they answered the phone, but now was not normal. "We've got an enemy down that needs cleaning up, and a friendly whose poisoned with Sesshoumaru's blend." His voice was calmer then he felt, on the inside he was ragging with negative emotion, "the location is the eastern docks of the society, storage unit number two-thirty five-six, homeland technology." He barely registered the reply before he hung the phone up tossing it to the side as he carefully laid Sango prone across the concrete floor.

Leaning forward, a grimace set across his visage, Miroku sealed his lips over the small but deep wound trying to draw up the lethal poison. Sucking, he spat her blood out, then began again his heart beating feverishly. In the back of his mind a voice whispered of his possible death in continuing to perform this action, a voice he barely heard or paid any mind toward. All that he cared to know at the moment was that Sesshoumaru's poison was fast acting and fast spreading, and that if he did not draw enough out Sango had no chance of living. Spitting out one more time, Miroku pressed his ear to the assassin's heart listening closely for the sign of life.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he could still hear the organ's steady beating, drawing a finger down her cheek he whispered faintly. "Sango, don't you dare let go, who else will protect the female population from my wandering hands?" Although he made a slight joke, Miroku did not laugh. "You look cold," shrugging off his long leather jacket Miroku spread it over the upper half of her body, taking the girls dark hoodie over her legs. "There, that's better." Still not satisfied, he drew Sango into his arms, rocking back and fourth as though she were a baby, whispering words of courage, of clinging to life. If not for her then for the mere pleasure of smacking him around every now and then, Miroku made promises to her as well. The most stunning being to cage one side effect of his curse for her, something murmured so softly and so brokenly that he himself did not even realize he spoke it.

There he sat, in unbroken silence, brooding miserably over what he had done for what seemed an eternity and then not long enough. His father always stressed one thing, when charging after an unfriendly when too emotionally involved, and that was never to charge ahead with boiling blood. Though he was the coolest head under Sesshoumaru, it would seem that even he was not enough under the control of his emotions to assassinate -without issue- a man that had aided in the death of his siblings. Knowing the thoughts and feelings that had been running around his conscious, Miroku should have refused the job, but because of his own need to feel the blood of vengeance run through his fingers he ignored protocol for such a situation as his.

Now Sango lay at death's door, and there was nothing else he could do at the moment, other then to wait, to keep her from crossing the thresh hold of this world to the next. Smoothing down her hair he place a chaste kiss at her temple, murmuring more words of apology and regret, all the while hoping that even in her unconscious state the words would make it through.

Miroku barely noticed that the team had entered clothed in their dreary gray, blue, and black uniforms to clean the mess of the bull he had made. A barely distinguishable mass of flesh that had been nearly all burned away by Sesshoumaru's venom, a fate for Sango, had he not acted so quickly to suck the poison from her veins. Being human the assassin would not be able to fend the effects the poison had already taken upon her body with her healing abilities alone, medication and time at the infirmary would be needed for that. Death was still a good possibility for her; however, because he had drained the venom from her she had no risk of dissolving into liquid flesh.

"Sir," a voice began softly at his side, "the unit has been made spotless, the only thing left is to administer the vaccine and transport the taijya to the infirmary."

"All right," the monk replied dazedly.

After a moment the voice was back tinged with impatience, "sir, in order for us to complete the mission you must release your hold of the taijya."

"No."

"Listen," the irritating sound returned, "Sesshoumaru-sama was informed of the situation and has ordered that we are to treat the lass immediately, and should you refuse, we are to detain you until he is able to see you himself. Which is it to be?"

Miroku chuckled humorously as he lifted sightless eyes to the voice that spoke with him, "you try that and I will blow a hole through your head." He said, voice void all feeling, he waved the empty gun around before standing with Sango secured in his arms. The ex-agent moved to leave the unit toward the van that he knew had been waiting for them, he stopped and turned toward the blonde-haired person that had deigned to threaten him, a man that appeared to stand around the same level as himself though a bit on skinny side. "Aren't you coming, I don't want to explain anything, I just want silence, so you are going to tell them that I will administer the vaccine and you all are to leave us be for the duration of the ride."

Being emotionally unstable, visibly so, seemed to ward away all unwanted conversation as well as kept any human and youkai presence alike three feet from his person. He slipped the needle through the skin of Sango's upper arm, trying desperately to ignore the squeamish sensation that had erupted within his gut at the action. The act of physically stabbing something through the girl did not sit right with him, only he had not known that it would cause him to grow nauseous in the end until he had done so.

After making it back to headquarters Miroku refused meetings with anyone whom sought his presence, even the Inu-Taiyoukai himself, unwilling to be wrested from the assassin's bed side until he saw her beautiful cinnamon eyes open from their lengthened time closed. He did not want her wake and be alone; he did not want her to think that his shooting her had made no lasting impression upon his mind. Therefore, with her hand in his, he would wait before dealing with anyone else.

Disbelief still ran through her mind as she climbed the four little steps that lead up to a cute little porch, decorated in a befitting manner for it's owner. Flower pots lined the brick wall at least three feet behind the porch swing, a fantasy Kagura had been privy too years ago. The girl wanted to sit upon that swing with the love of her life and gaze up at the full moon atop a sky blanketed with bright glowing stars. The elemental youkai remember fondly teasing the young romance struck girl when she had shoved both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from her porch swing when they had sat down to wait for her while she got ready for another one of their adventures. Kagura had teased the teenage girl endlessly, and thinking back on it know she wondered how on earth she had let such a grand friendship fall apart.

Three strong knocks upon the door, no more and no less, a sign of her being on the other side of the wall and not some nameless fiend that sought her attention. Then again, perhaps she know fell under that category, would Rin even disclose such information to her or would she send her away? Before Kagura could ponder the thought at a greater length, the door slowly opened to reveal a very stunned bright eyed, brown haired girl. A woman that the wind youkai had no idea how much she missed until faced with the countenance of the friend she had not long ago cast aside.

"Hello Rin," Kagura murmured, unsure, "are you going to let me in or are you stare at me all day long? Personally I don't have all day and you wouldn't want me tell Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru about this would you?" The elemental youkai laughed merrily as the Rin suddenly tossed the door wide-open gesturing, and pulling, her inside. "Threats like that always got you so animated," she teased, like it were the old days, as she walked into the living room from the entryway.

"Why are you here?" Rin queried slowly as her brain tried to processes seeing her long time, and lost, friend at her front door after so many months of heated separation.

Kagura did not know what to say in response to the question, why was she there? Well, she did want to make sure that Rin was all right after hearing of her sudden disappearance, but more than anything she longed to speak with her good friend once more. "I've missed you," she found the words tumbling from her mouth before she could stop them.

She would have laughed at the stunned shock that passed across the younger girl's visage would it not draw an ill reaction when she wanted nothing to go wrong for this reunion. "Kagura I…" Rin paused at a loss for words, "what are you saying exactly?" She pressed. Kagura moved to remove the charm from around her throat, wanting to have the conversation as her youkai-self and not the human she appeared to be. "Wait, keep it there," and then signed too quickly for human eyes to follow that she had another visitor in the house that was not of the society.

Bemused, Kagura asked, "who could that possibly be?"

"I met him in the park over a week ago, he help me the night I found out my grandfather had died." She explicated, "since then he and I have become something of friends."

"Oh, Rin," the elemental suspired mournfully, "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you, that I allowed a stupid rumor to tear apart our friendship."

"It's okay," she whispered in reply a whisper that was saturated in emotion.

"No, it's not!" A pained look crossed her eyes as she looked at her gently smiling friend whom was trying to assuage the hurt in her chest with a look when the woman should want nothing more with her after the incident. "Don't look at me like that, after everything with your grandfather -I know how much you adored him- and now Inuyasha, I should have come to you sooner. After I heard that you'd disappeared without a trace I-" She cut off at the confusion written across Rin's face-"What's with the look?"

Rin opened her mouth for a breath to speak, hesitated nervously, and then asked slowly, "what do you mean about Inuyasha? Kagura what happened," unease and distress were drastically worming there way through her heart the longer the wind youkai stared at her with that pitying agonized look. "Tell me!" She intoned urgently.

Breathing deep Kagura took Rin by the hands and lead her to sit upon the little hunter green sofa in her living room, such information would not be broken well to the girl while they stood. After getting as comfortable as one could get with the level of distress hanging in the air, the youkai let the scalding words slide from her tongue as gently as she was able. "Inuyasha… he's dead." A mixture of tormented disbelief crossed Rin's visage, Kagura could smell the tears that misted her vision long before they became visible, and she felt her heart cry out as it had for the great Taiyoukai. "Sesshoumaru… he's very upset even though he's trying not to show it, and he's really worried about you. I… just talked to him okay, you…. Your presence calms him more then my own."

Though she was upset Rin felt the compelling need to set her friend's mind at ease while she wept both visibly and within her own heart for her dearest friend, her adopted brother. "That's not true, it's knowing that we were both okay that sets that dog at ease. If something were to happen to you his pain would be more tragic then what he would feel if it were me." Tears burned her eyes and spilled over one by one despite the amount of force she incorporated in trying to keep the moisture at bay. "I appreciate you being here Kagura, and I forgive you and I hope that you forgive me and we can try to get back what we were, but I need to be alone for a while."

The elemental youkai stood with a tremulous smile, "I understand," and together they both made way to her front door. Once Kagura was on the other side and Rin was sure the youkai was far away, she place a hand to her mouth as she cried out falling to her knees, tears crashing all around her as her heart tried to vent it's pain in the form of sobbing. Her shoulder's shook, her breath heaving that it became difficult to take in air through her lungs, she barely noticed arms grasping her firmly against a chest. "Haku," she whimpered, "please… just," she was going to ask him to let her be but he placed his hand against her mouth shaking his head. When she made no other words, he held her smoothing down her hair, trying to quite her misery.

He had heard everything from his place just out side of their vision and now knew that the girl he held in his arms held a deep connection to his enemies. What was he to do with such information? Did he tell his grandfather and use her to his advantage? For some reason or another, he never spoke of Rin's connection and proceeded to drive the knowledge from his mind. Still, he could never completely forget, and the information always lingered in the back of his mind taunting him.

Inuyasha leaned against the steel wall of the unit; patience seeping through his pours as patience left him while he waited for Kikyou to show. His charm had long ago worn off and he constantly worried about a youkai member of the society catching his scent upon the wind. He took great pains in staying pressed to the wall out of reach of the slightly moving wind. Still, that was not what had the hanyou in his present foul mood, it was something other then the long wait the miko was giving him; there was another far darker reason in his opinion.

In the back of his mind, the little piece that Miroku's sister had claimed as her own, was stirring with so many emotions that it was making his skin itch. It was always jumping from one thing to the next and Inuyasha could not help the annoyance he felt, _why can't she just pick something and stay with it!_ Even as he thought this he also found himself quite curious of her activities, just what in the world was going on that her emotions would just keep changing at the drop of a hat.

"Inuyasha?" Pushing from the wall the hanyou gave a grunt of acknowledgment, half of his mind trying to puzzle out the things he could feel from that part of his head that now belong to a human girl. Kikyou rolled into view two large suite cases of supplies, and as Inuyasha made a grab for his prize, the miko pulled them back charging with a painfully familiar light. "I'm going with you," before he could make a sound of protest she held up a hand to forestall his words and spoke just as quickly, "I want to make sure the clothes fit. You weren't exactly very specific about sizes, so I've brought along quite few to be sure, and I want to know if I have to revisit my stock. Knowing you, Inuyasha, you won't say a word and allow those poor children to walk around in outfits that are either five sizes to big or too small."

The hanyou snorted, folding his arms over his chest, he shoved his nose in the air, "what would it mater? It's not like they'd be going anywhere anyhow, no one is going to see 'em."

Kikyou gave a small sigh of annoyance, "exactly my point," she punctuated with the smack of her hands. "If they're going to be held up in that safe house for as long as you're going to foolishly keep them their then they at least deserve to be in comfort."

Grunting as he gave in, Inuyasha stiffly inquired, "were you at least smart enough to bring a dark blindfold?"

"Hai, dog," she affirmed, "I wouldn't have made the suggestion had I not. Your so paranoid, isn't my word good enough?" With that irritating smirk she knew well coming into place as his mouth moved to form an answer, Kikyou shook her head roughly, "no, do not answer that?"

His dark eyebrows shot upward, "why ever not Kikyou? Are you afraid of what I might call you on?" His eyes watched her as she moved to place the blindfold over her eyes, and he himself take the suite cases in hand as well as the pack he know noted was strapped to her back. His grin became predatory, "I seem to recall this one time when you and I were sent to Peru….Ack!" He howled as miko energized pebble was tossed at his ear and his hand immediately went to massaging the abused part of his physique as he turned glaring eyes to the Miko Witch demanding hotly. "What the heck was that for?"

"We agreed," she replied acidly, "never to speak of that moment again."

"Tch, it was only in jest and no one else was around," the hanyou sulked," come on lets go." The woman dragged her feet, irritated Inuyasha barked, "what's your deal?" He knew however, having spent so many years in Kikyou's company, and waited for her to start blabbering of shame and pinkie swears.

Pulling her arms from his rough hold, Kikyou returned, "Promise me that you will not mention Peru again." Her lips pursued tightly she added, "I don't want that night to be spoken of to anyone, my own mate even, so I do not want it getting to whomever your hiding out with."

"Your that ashamed, personally, I didn't think it was so bad and neither did Jakostu, who might I add bore your offense quite well." Inuyasha smirked widely, and though she could not see it, her limbs trembled with rage. Most likely that fury had more to do with his sentence rather then the insolent placement of his lips. "Come on, don't get all hormonal on me Miko Witch, I probably should have mentioned Jakotsu's status in the dating world. Though I don't see how you could miss it with the way he kept," Inuyasha shuttered, "eyeing my rear."

"Shut up," Kikyou finally screeched, outraged, "stop taking about this. We don't have time for a trip down memory lane, don't you have people to feed and cloth?"

The hanyou chuckled merrily, "I always have time to revisit old times with you Kikyou," a quick glance around as he suddenly felt a very foreboding feeling in his gut turned up nothing out of the ordinary. Realizing that it was from the emotion's he was getting in the back of his head, the ones that belong to Kagome, had Inuyasha worrying his bottom lip in concern. "Come on, let's get going."

Hearing the stern, almost worried note to the hanyou's tone, Kikyou asked with her own note of urgency. "Is something wrong, did some one see us?" She moved a hand to her blind fold, but was stopped by a strong clawed hand.

"Don't," he said firmly, "nothings wrong. I just left them alone while they were sleeping, who knows what they're doing now. For all I know they could be trying to find a way out of the safe house." Inuyasha knew that was not true, Shippo would see to it and explain the importance of staying inside. At least, the hanyou hopped the kit would comply to his want and keep inside instead of playing around in the sewers.

"Since when did you care about anyone other then yourself," Kikyou snidely remarked as he put his arms around her waist. She was still a bit sore over the conversation of Peru and had yet to bring her tactful self out in the open.

Lifting up the miko, Inuyasha dropped them down the manhole, ignoring her outraged shrieks as nasty water sloshed up all around them. "I never started," trying to walk in higher ground and breath as little of stagnant air as possible he replied distractedly, "their Miroku's siblings." As he neared closer to where the girl he bound himself to for eternity his awareness of her become so intense that it began to drag his youkai to fore. Even as he felt Kikyou tense in his arms he made no moves to assure her as he could not find anything to assure himself at the moment that his youkai would stay on the lease he had placed it under. Tetsusaiga was currently in the hands of his brother and of no use to his current predicament so far away.

**Something's wrong.**

His youkai voice insisted, such strong intangible words, nearly brought his hanyou body to its knees. _There's nothing amiss,_ he murmured in his mind. There was nothing wrong, everything was perfectly fine, but he knew that his words were a farce to keep his beast at bay. He could not afford to free it with Kikyou in his arms, out of fear she would probably purify him to his human self. He would be a worthless protector then.

There was something very off about the trek to his temporary abode, back there in between the units, he had felt Kagome's distress and now in this putrid place he could feel nothing but darkness, emptiness, pain. She was in pain before the nothing had befallen her, that signaled unconsciousness, that was not as concerning to his youkai as the pain was. It was not death that had blanketed her body from wakefulness, but the pain could have been a multitude of occurrences. The fact that it was a physical hurt tugged even more at the confines of his youkai, and for a brief moment Inuyasha was sure that the beast was close enough for his eyes to flash red. It was good thing that Kikyou had been blindfolded.

**She is in pain.**

His inner voice bemoaned such a force that despite his want, he felt it to very depths of his soul. What in the world had possessed him to believe that binding himself to the girl in such an ill-effecting way would be beneficial? Miroku's pain had possessed him, and briefly, Inuyasha wondered what it would be like to take the girl fully as his own. How much worse would this awareness be, would he actually know the exact cause of her danger this moment? The mere idea caused him to both shuttered in horror and growl in delight. Apparently, the beast inside thought that such an insane idea was a good one, but then again, the youkai half of himself thought many crazy and strange things were ideal.

Coming to the metal door, Inuyasha set the Miko Witch down briefly to type the correct coding into the panel, waiting impatiently for the door to move aside. Thankfully, Kikyou, knowing the tenseness of his caged creature, kept silent during the entire trip. The door booming to the side, Inuyasha shoved the woman through the door dropped the supplies and rushed through the safe-house nose in the air. He sorted through the scents locking on to the sweet smelling one that he had bound himself to, and made a beeline for its owner.

Kikyou removed her blindfold, and watching in pity as the hanyou, she had known since early childhood made his way frantically through the house. She followed behind at a safe distance, taking in the sights, knowing that if she strayed to close it might push his youkai even further from its chains. Despite the abounding irritation Inuyasha constantly feed to her, she did feel a since of caring for the inu-hanyou, and could not help but feel a sense of sorrow. She knew how the mating worked, and eventually, if he did not take the girl fully as his own, he would be driven insane. Kikyou goose bumped at the thought, and to take her mind from it she took in the sight of the quaint underground home. The entrance, great room, and Kitchen were one large mass in front of the door, and then branching onto either side were two long winding hallways. Inuyasha had made a run for the hall on the right and so Kikyou assumed that it was the one where the girl is located. Feeling curious, she kept following, but never got so close that she would be considered in the hanyou's personal space.

Deep calming breaths seemed to quell the sleeping beast, and Inuyasha tossed open the girl's room to see the kit and the brother weeping over Kagome's sleeping form. "What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha's voice boomed, made powerful by the intense urgency he was getting from his instincts, newly made ones that had arisen after creating the blood bond.

"She was fine a moment ago," Souta informed tearfully, "then she cried out, saying her side hurt, and then fainted."

Nodding, the hanyou moved more fully into the room, coming to rest at the dark haired girl's side looking her over with his eyes. "Kikyou," he breathed, unwilling to speak above a quite whisper least the pain in his voice be known, "show the runts what you brought for them." He ignored her quite gasp knowing that is was made for saying her name without the usual rancor in his tone, he always called her Miko Witch otherwise.

After the boys were ushered from the room, he drowned out their chattering voices as they moved further and further away from the room. In trepidation he ambled onto the bed at her right, it was obvious his blood had exhausted her body beyond normal heights to heal her completely. Why her side still pained her he could not be sure of, but it could be that she healed so quickly that her body had not quite grasped the idea that it no longer had a gapping wound. Without his say, clawed fingers began to trace the out line of the girl's jaw in gentle touches. She was not that bad to look at, but the hanyou refused to entertain such thoughts, not for Miroku's sister. At least not without first gaining the permission of his friend, and he would never ask something of this magnitude from the leach.

This girl, he thought tiredly as he was watched her peacefully slumbering features, was going to be the death of him. He could feel it, as well, he lay propped up by her side, and he was already contemplating doing something that would ease her pain while entrenching her more firmly to his person. Though his youkai screamed for him to do so, wanting anything that would draw him closer to the girl, he himself balk at the idea. The reason mates felt so at ease in the presence of there other half was that they both shared blood. Especially potent if the two were both youkai or one was youkai and the other Miko, the ability to heal was stronger and entirely more soothing when in the aura of the other. Though she was only human, if he took her essence into his system, her aches would be soothed away no matter how intense they were. Apart they would hurt like the fiery depths of hell.

The girl groaned beneath him, her eyes fluttering open shining confusion. "Do you still hurt?" Inuyasha inquired softly, trying to remain as still as possible least he awakened more thoughts that he did not want to contend with. For some reason, his blood called to him so strongly within her veins that he was -in this short time- finding his resistance-crumbling bit by bit. He, however, was determined to stand strong despite his urges to do otherwise and he refused to break.

Remembering the occurrence that had caused her to loose touch on consciousness, Kagome sat up quickly, her eyes searching wildly for the frightened faces she was so sure to find. "Where are Souta and Shippo, I didn't scare them did I?" Moving down the length of the bed, or she would have had she not been restrained, Kagome stared upon the hanyou an askance.

Inuyasha snorted in disdain, upset that she was more worried about her sibling and the kit then her own well being, while finding the sentiment admirable. Such confusion his mental state had become from bonding, or nearly bonding, to the girl that it was difficult for him to separate his own emotions from that of his instincts were causing him to feel. Then again, as he watched the quite worry swim within her depths, he wondered how much of it was actually instinct. "Tch, you should be more worried about yourself, girl," he responded harshly, and then seeing the upset surrounding her as well as feeling the cascading emotive drown him as though it were his own before he softened for her again. It was utterly preposterous, she was adding her humanity to his own, making him turn to mush on the inside while he could barely grasp unto his cold outer exterior to save face in front of her. "Those runts are fine, I've got Kikyou keeping them busy with the crap I had her bring over." Why try to assure her of anything? He had never done so before, never caring to place anyone at ease; but then again, he had not nearly mated -married in human terms- another person. He had never acquired for himself such a connection with another living entity, one cementing the soul to another, reveling all of the other to it's owner. Inuyasha was just ecstatic that he could control his side of things, made sure, due to being a youkai and having to worry about mind readers and the like, that he could place mental blocks around his mind. However, it did help that he had not taken her blood into his veins as well.

Not for the first time, the hanyou questioned what it would be like to have solidified this union. How much more intense could this binding tie amount to were he to do so? He watched through half distracted eyes as the young woman's face scrunched in confusion, "Kikyou?" Kagome inquired, and then shook herself from awaiting an answer, "I should still see if they're okay." The raven haired wench swiftly bypassed his staying arm, a well practiced movement of her body, and made as if to leap from the bed but the hanyou had another thing in mind. Although, his life essence had healed her wounds and was steadily making her stronger then a normal human, such creatures still found exhaustion fatal to their health.

A growl tearing form his throat, Inuyasha pounced upon the girl, pinning her to bed. "You," he emphasized with a nip on the nose causing her still, barely keeping himself from biting at her throat, "need to stay in bed. Even if the skin isn't broken, you still gotta rest. My blood took a lot outta ya apparently if you're passing out from the merest of exertion." _This is gonna be a long week,_ Inuyasha thought merrily, as he found from this experience that he was going to have trouble containing himself in more ways then he had now. Pack instinct, did not some one he had heard conversing upon the subject say such a thing does not occur with a human until at least a week into the process? Sensing the unease and shock in Kagome, the dog-eared hanyou pulled back from her form and muttered a quick "sorry," beneath his breath.

Settling back down, Kagome looked upon the dog in consternation, questioning stiffly. "Well, sense you won't let me leave without attacking me, can you at least get Souta and Shippo to come in here so that I can see for my self that they're all right?" Getting a weird sense in the back of her mind, a balled mass of something foreign that Kagome would leave to question later, she knew that hanyou was going to refuse her request. This tingling sensation was something akin to what she had felt before waking the second time; the thought echoed distantly in her mind as she spoke hotly before the hanyou could come up with his reply. "Don't you dare refuse me," she cried, "or else I won't rest and I'll work myself to the grave!" The threat was stupid, it had the man growling deep in the back of his throat eyes flashing red, but for some reason Kagome could not bring herself to back down. Some strange emotive urging refused to release its hold upon her will. Yes, she wanted to make sure the two were all right with her sudden feinting, however, Inuyasha looked positively murderous currently from her verbal attack. The raven-haired girl knew that if it were not for these strange strands pulling at her from that intangible spot at the back of her head, she would have consented immediately to the rage spewing to the surface in the man.

"What was that," Inuyasha snarled, a guttural sound, fangs bared. It was the most idiot coercion the hanyou had ever had thrown his way, a harm to herself, and yet it had pulled at his ire worse then any other he had ever had the grace of hearing. It was inherent, deeply ingrained, to attack and kill anything that threatened a mate's health and the moment she herself had just done so. The bonding ritual had never been completed; there was no reason for him to be feeling such ancient and primitive instinct. He had no love for the wench, he had no deeper ties then the monk with her, and yet his blood insisted, demanded, that he make her more then an almost mate. The confusion surrounding him, suffocating him began to fuel the fire of Inuyasha's rage.

What ever it was that had Kagome to act in foolish bravery fled causing her to eep out with a wide-eyed stare, "nothing!"

Bringing himself up in height for intimidation reasons and nothing else, "It sounded like you were threatening your own health to get your way." He snorted, "brat." He spat.

"Inuyasha," a voice shrieked from the doorway causing his plush white dog-ears to plaster themselves to his skull, "if you can't handle your actions then vent somewhere else your scaring the girl's brother with your brusque treatment." The hanyou turned to see the Miko Witch standing at the doorway hand upon her hips, foot tapping impatiently on the floor, and two runts freshly clothed hiding behind her none to successfully.

Plopping down upon the bed, bringing his arms to cross over his chest as a petulant frown pulled at his lips, Inuyasha replied sulkily. "The wench was the one threatening her own health, not me." He ignored the outraged squawk from the girl at his derogatory name.

Kikyou shot the dog-eared man a sympathetic look, having first hand experience with the contract of which he had sealed with his blood, there were countless times were she had to face the same with Naraku. The feeling was maddening to contain, unsatisfied without finding some small egress to express itself. "I understand, but they don't," she whispered in level that only Inuyasha and Shippo would be able to catch in stale air of the safe house. "Now scram dog-boy, so I can fit her for an outfit as well, and don't you dare start growling at me or I'll tell your brother your still alive." Kikyou grinned at the hanyou he snapped his mouth shut; finally, she had found a way to silence that irritation.

Jerking from the bed, Inuyasha grumpily ambled past the Miko Witch, muttering for her ears lowly, "she finds out anything of what it means to share blood and Peru won't be a distant memory any longer." The hanyou took pleasure in the way her eyes nearly bugged from her head and the gasp that fell precariously from her painted lips. Stalking from the room, still carrying the airs of a predator, he left the two women to their own devices.

The two had spent hours upon hours in the room alone, the Miko Witch placing a ward against listening around their enclosure, which irked Inuyasha to no end. Constantly he had been wondering over the tales that Kikyou could possibly feed the girl of his character, most of, which were hardly pleasant and even less of good testament to his personality. When the time came for the miko to return home, the two had spoken for well over twelve hours, only stopping because the woman claimed to feel Naraku's worry at her prolonged absence. When asked what their conversation had entailed, he had been utterly refused, causing Inuyasha to worry over the topic, especially seeing that Kagome kept shooting him odd looks. As the hanyou laid down for bed after the long day, he realized that he had forgotten to demand to see the clothing the Miko Witch had provided for the girl, he would just have to see to it on the marrow. Inuyasha just hopped that it was not something closely relating to Kikyou's own wardrobe. That would be disastrous, both for his and the miko's health that is if he survived long enough to inflect any deadly harm upon Kikyou.

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_**A/N:**_

Sorry again for the long wait, again, I just couldn't figure out how I wanted this chapter to go exactly as there were so many major points going on that I wanted it all to flow just right. I'm still not sure of whether or not I have exactly gotten that effect, bit I am satisfied with it. Tell me what you all think! I eagerly await your comments and thoughts on this chapter.

Thanks to: wah so, MyFav. Anime, fire and Demon Exterminator Barbie for your wonderful reviews, I truly love reading them. They always brighten my day to see one in my email inbox!


	17. Memories

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**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Inuyasha!

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

**_Chapter Seventeen: _**Memories

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**_R_**ousing from sleep, bleary eyes took in the expanse of the room in confusion until images flashed through her mind as to why she was in the sparse room. Well, all except for her bed and the pile of cloths to her left that she had yet to place in the closet. Resting back into the mattress with a sigh of relief, Kagome stared sightlessly up at the ceiling as her mind replayed yesterdays events. That feeling she had gotten in her side as she, Shippo, and Souta explored their new home was such a wretched, agonizing sheering pain that she was lucky she had not lost consciousness before the boys aided her back to bed. She was still worried that the two might be terrified of what happened, but Kikyou assured her that after she introduced them to the things she had brought along the two seemed to be in higher spirits. That, well it did alleviate her worry, did not stop her from wanting to see the kit and her brother. Even more so, when Kikyou and Inuyasha both agreed that she should rest without any interruption, it was not the fact that the two who obviously disliked each other agreed whole heartily upon something rather it was the tension that hung around them as they did so.

The aura around them put Kagome ill at ease; was there something wrong that Kikyou and Inuyasha were keeping from her? Did it have to do with the level of her condition, was there something more serious wrong with her that she was lead to believe? Was she dying? It had certainly felt like it before she had lost her grasp on the wakeful world.

Turing to her side with that thought in mind, Kagome curled in on herself with a rational fear building in her chest, she did not want to die without realizing it. Quite frankly, the young woman did not want to die at all, but if she were going to then she would like to be aware of it rather then fading off one day none the wiser in her sleep leaving her two brother's alone. Even if Miroku were the elder, he would be helpless without his imouto around, which she knew all too well from years of experience. Even if she had this great desire to know if her impending end was hovering over her, Kagome could not find the strength to fully, move her self from the bed. After dinner the other night, or perhaps it was still night, her limbs' had felt immensely exhausted and her mind was slurred. Still, it was not enough to effect her minds thought processes afterward, as her musings now were proof of that.

The door cautiously opened allowing the light of the hallway to spill into her room, jumping from her skin at the sudden brightness, Kagome decided to feign sleep. "Don't even try it," an amused utterance bearing edgy irritated undertones rang out for her ears to catch, the voice was Inuyasha's she registered dimly. "With all the commotion you've been making trying to fake sleep isn't too smart." He grouched, and Kagome was aware of his feet prattling across the floor, carrying his body infinitely closer to her person. What commotion could the hanyou speak of? She had made no sound, as she lay still as the dead in deep contemplative thought. "Are you all right?" Unlike before when he spoke, his voice was small and unsure, causing a little smile to work its way across her lips.

Unable to continue under this false sleep, Kagome slowly tried to rise, but could not find the strength to do the minimal task, so instead turned her head in his direction. What was wrong with her? "I'm fine, what time is it?"

"I haven't a clue," his shoulders outlined by the light that poured into the room from the doorway shrugged slightly, "this place didn't come with a clock. Are you sure that you're all right?" He pressed.

"I'm fine," she assured, "but I'd be even better if you'd allow me to see my brother and Shippo." Kagome pressed on with a suggestive tone, she was tired of being trapped in this room, even though it had not been long and wanted to see some friendly faces to make the drab room even brighter. Why could she not bring herself to sit up in the bed, even the tiniest bit of leverage from the mattress? "Hey," she queried after a bit of silence, "Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

Taking a deep breath, Kagome took the noncommittal noise as an okay to continue, and asked hesitantly, "you would tell me if something were wrong wouldn't you?" Seeing the hanyou stiffen, she took it for the suggestion that something may be wrong, and asked in alarm the horrifying thoughts that had been on her mind. "I'm not dying am I?" She waited upon bated breath for him to answer her of the wall question.

Sputtering, as the inquiry had caused Inuyasha to choke on his breath, he shot the girl an incredulous look. "Nani? Dying? What gave you that idea?"

Kagome shot the inu a sheepish smile, suddenly feeling stupid for even bringing the thought out into the open, twiddling her fingers together above her chest and blanket. She could move that much at least. "My body is too weak to move more then I am now, that pain I felt in my side before I feinted, and your reaction just now gave me that idea." She added, and then looked away from his gaze when irritation leaked into his amber orbs. She had thought the notion was a foolish one, and by their argument over whether or not she should be able to see her brother, she figured she was about to get a tongue lashing for being foolish.

"Damn Miko Witch," he spat, plopping onto the bed beside her out of exasperation, "you're not dying, that damn Kikyou slipped some medication into your tea. I honestly didn't think it would have such a ill-effect on you, being that your only human, and Kikyou knows her way around medicinal herbs." Sighing heavily through his nose, Inuyasha turned weary eyes upon her blanket-covered form. "How weak are you," he asked, and then added, "I have to know in order to gauge the seriousness of the situation."

Trying to shrug, but failing at it miserably, Kagome decided to answer with words. "I don't know, I can move my arms a bit, and I did turn so I was lying on my side, but beyond that there is not much I can find the strength to accomplish." Seeing his sudden blank face, she queried helplessly, "is that bad?"

"Are you sure that your only human," at first she thought that he was only joking, but from the serious set of Inuyasha's face she could see that he was not. Managing to nod her head in affirmation, Kagome could not help but wonder at what it was she had been given and whether or not she should be livid that he had slipped something into her tea without telling her about it beforehand. "Then the Miko Witch screwed up the recipe, stuff works wonders on a regular human but impairs a youkai or miko for at least eight hours."

"Why," she squeaked in outrage, "would you give me something so harmful?" Never had the young girl felt as helpless as she did right then, the hanyou could have had his way with her, and there would have been nothing she could have performed to prevent it.

"Shut up," Inuyasha roared, the way her small voice had accused him of causing her harm reeked havoc upon his senses. "I didn't know it would do this to you, all right, its not suppose to have this type of effect on a human." Even speaking this justification did nothing to remedy the sudden negative energy coursing through his veins, he would only find redemption in her. "Look," he began, raking his claws through his sliver hair, "if I had known that this remedy would not only fix what was wrong with your body but make you immobile I wouldn't have allowed her to put that herbal powder in your drink." Before he had even finished his sentence his eyes were searching hers, imploring her to forgive him this trespass.

"What was wrong with my body that needed fixing…" she slowly inquired as her mind worked to remember anything that may have occurred before she passed out. She only recalled an intense pain in her side, there were no openings, and she did not think anything was ruptured on the inside. Still, she would feel better after hearing her ailment from his mouth, at least, she assumed that she would.

His face paled, he would have to explain to her, at least in part, what he had done that healed her after the explosion. This was not something that he relished in doing, but perhaps if he explicated it in such a way, the girl would not feel the need to seek answers from another and find out something detrimental to his health. "After what happened back at the apartment you were badly injured," he began swallowing hard. "It was so bad, in fact, that I doubt you would be alive had I not given you my blood to heal you."

"What do you mean," Kagome breathed, unsure of what she should be feeling after hearing this information, "how did you know my blood type." She was not entirely dense when it came to science, she knew that two types of blood could not commingle without dire results. If they did share the same type of blood then the transfusion would have killed her if the wound had not.

Inuyasha snorted, some humor coming to him despite that he was giving her information that he would rather have her be in the dark about. "I'm part youkai, our anatomy does not follow the same guidelines as a human, at least not all of them. A youkai can give another blood, depending on the type of youkai, if it is meant to heal. Being inu my blood and saliva have wonderful healing properties, but you were well beyond the powers of my spit." He laughed when her face cringed in disgust, "then I guess you'll be happy to know that I spat all over your lesser wounds."

"You're lying to get at me," she accused with a heated glare in his direction.

"I'm afraid not little girl," he muttered, trying to gauge if she were truly disgusted by the idea of spit or blood, of course any human would have been a little put off by such a thought. She was not quite aware, yet, of what he was for her cringe in abhorrence at his hanyou self, though he was sure that type of loathing not to be far off. "If it bothers you that much then don't think about it," he barked when her form shuddered beneath her blankets.

The little nigen shot him a sheepish smile, "its not that, I just can't believe that I came so close to dying, though it is a little disturbing to know that I have dried spit all over my body." She paused, giving him a long considering look, before asking in a small voice, "you didn't lick me did you?" Kagome could almost picture it, because he was an inu, and blushed madly at the images.

"Of course not," he easily lied, "I spat on my hand and rubbed it into your small cuts."

"Oh," was all that she could manage in her embarrassment, "well then," she continued red faced her voice straining to make the sounds, "finish telling me why you saw fit to drug me."

Forgetting that she demand him to tell her his story as though ordering a servant, or in his case a dog, he lashed out at the flippant way she still accused him even after he had been giving her a legitimate reason. "I didn't drug you," he growled menacingly, and then remembered he had yet to tell her why he had allowed Kikyou to make that herbal medication. "Look, your body healed because of my blood, but it was done fare too quickly. Your nigen body still thinks that it is injured and so that Miko Witch thought that the brew she gave you would help your system to realize it wasn't injured anymore, expect it seems to be effecting you like it would her or a youkai." Perhaps it was the blood he had given her that caused such a reaction, then he shook his head against the idea, even that factor should not have brought on this problem. "I don't know why it did this to you, but after you've finished sleeping we'll see if it did what it was suppose to do."

Kagome nodded, feeling sleep trying to drag her under despite the fact that she had slept for so long already. A sudden thought occurred to her and she decided to voice it before she fully gave in to the sleep that was steadily drowning all coherent thought. "Right, but if it did this what it's not suppose to do then how can you be sure it won't do anything else."

A blank look stole across his face, and as she fell into slumber waiting for his reply, she could have sworn she hear Inuyasha whisper. "No matter what, I won't let you die." It seemed that the hanyou knew of the fear that spurred the young girl in to catechizing for more assurances; she did not want to die, not just yet.

**_T_**he beeping of the medical machines were beginning to grate upon Miroku's nerves, the only thing that kept him from snatching the plugs from the walls were the simple facts that they both signaled and kept Sango's life. It was difficult to see her lying upon the medical bed so pale and listless, knowing that he was the one who had placed her in such a delicate state. Eyes squeezed shut, he reached out and took her clammy hand into his, despite that it was chill and tubes were stuck into her wrist, he needed the assurance that she was in fact still there.

_**Beep. Beep. Beep.**_

The steady sound was almost music to his ears, yet it dragged on his nerves like nothing of this world had ever done to him before. He was a clam easy-going sort, it took quite a bit took anger or annoy this ex-agent and would be monk, yet that sound was enough to drive him to his knees in both hatred and joy. It said she was still alive, yet it was also like a taunt, speaking oh so derisively with every quick beep. _Your fault, **beep**__your fault, **beep**, your fault…_and so on, tugging at his guilt ridden heart.

"I'm so sorry Sango, I never should have excepted the job, I was just too," he swallowed hard still novice to the concept, "emotional over their deaths to handle killing that creature. My hands" his eyes tore to them in disgust, "they needed to feel his blood in vengeance. I was so overcome by that need that I lost sight of the reality around me, nothing else was tangible except for the pain that I felt, I just, please forgive me Sango. I couldn't bare it if you were to hate me, you're all that I have left." He confessed, his sorrow, his agony, resting in his throat threatening to choke the life from him and for once Miroku was unsure he wanted to fight it.

A hand resting upon his shoulder startled the raw man from his monologue, brown eyes swinging to the intruder, stunned. "Forgiveness isn't necessary, and though it is needed to move on, I am sure that she will tell you that. This Sesshoumaru should never have placed that gun into your hands, I should have seen that you were too emotionally wrought over the death of both your siblings, yet I over looked it. No," the taiyoukai roughly shook his head, eyes falling closed, "this Sesshoumaru forced himself not to see it. I ignored the signs because, I too, needed for more then anything to have a small measure of vengeance. I wanted to do it myself, I wanted to feel my hands slick with his blood, to spill so much of it that I could taste his death upon my tongue, and because of that I made you go. A man that shared my feelings, and for that I am to blame for what has transpired."

Stonied with awe that his boss was having a conversation of this depth with him, of this length even, that he was shouldering a blame that was entirely his own to take, Miroku said. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I too could have-" he stopped speaking when the named man brought up a clawed hand to forestall his words.

"Do not speak any denials to this Sesshoumaru, what has transpired is entirely my fault, however it is unwise for one to dwell upon past mistakes. Learn from them and do not make them again, for now all this energy should be directed toward the man that is the cause for all of this."

Miroku nodded, and for the first time in a long while a small, but genuine, smile formed upon his mouth. "Sesshoumaru-sama, why…?"

"We are alike, you and I, in the way that we both have had a younger sibling to protect and have fail at that age old task." Sesshoumaru allowed, but unwilling to stand on the topic he changed it to a more comfortable setting. "We have a name for 'him,' it is Akahito Houjo," noting the drastic change in the human beside him, he questioned, "is this name familiar to you?" He rose a brow at the suddenly pale contours of his human cohort, what is the name that could strike such a cord in this man's heart?

His heart had iced over in fear, that cold feeling trickling through his veins to every part of his body, at that name he had not heard uttered in so long. A name he would rather forget, a name he never wanted to see the face of, Akahito Houjo. It had been a long time, but it was inevitable that they would cross paths again. "You said that Kagura thinks to spy upon the agency, is this Akahito Houjo the man that she thinks to spy upon?" He demanded gravely.

Alarm arose in the inu's chest, yet calmly he asked, "why does it matter houshi?" What had Kagura gotten herself into?

His voice shook even with the effort he put into keeping it steady, "Yes or no, damn you?" He was far too upset, far too fearful, to watch his temper and words with the youkai that could very easily snapped him like a twig.

Sensing this Sesshoumaru did not reprimand his employee, rather he answered more calmly then he felt, "yes." As he breathed that word the taiyoukai could not help the feeling of having his head upon the chopping block, waiting for the ax to fall, and it did slashing downward painfully.

Eyes widening twice their normal size, he did something so separated from himself that it rose the alarm beating down upon the taiyoukai, "shit! You have to get her out of there, Sesshoumaru, that man can smell a con a mile away. The old man is too smart for his own good, he probably cornered her, offering her to join his side of things, **he**, knows Sesshoumaru. He knows who she is, I have no doubts about that, and you have to get her away from there, for the moment he gets tired of toying with her he will kill her but not before punishing her. I've seen him do it before, it could be a number of this, even letting his men use her for their less then noble urges…" he knew that old man all to well and his tactic of persuasion, as he calls them.

_**Beeeeee….**_

That shrill noise of her heart falling was the last thread breaking in Miroku's tender state, and he fell to his knees, breath pluming from his mouth in heavy gasps, he was having a panic attack. This coupled with the knowledge he had of Houjo and thoughts of seeing his nightmare again were all too much for the young man to take. In front of the taiyoukai the ex-agent with a shadowed past broke, and seeing this Sesshoumaru could only bolt from the room to find one of the society doctors, for once powerless to help a situation. His way was made in heavy fear, as he wanted nothing more then to find Kagura and drag her back home.

**_K_**agome woke with start, breath panting, limbs shaking, from another nightmare. Without her aniki to do whatever it was he did to quell her night terrors, they seemed to be frequenting her more then ever before. Then it hit as she sat huffing, that her body could move where as the last time she had been awake she had been condemned to remain as the dead. With the new discovery she had the desire to be free of her confinement, she wanted to move around, finish her exploration of the tinny abode.

Standing, with a goofy smile about her lips, Kagome stretched happily, giddy that she was able to move more then the inch she was the night before; or perhaps it was the morning before. She still was not quite sure on the time of day, so she would just assume with every time she slept a day had passed, but then what would she categorize a cat nap? She decided that she would cross that bridge when she happened upon it as for right now the only thing the deprived girl wanted was to roam free and unrestrained. Hopping from the bed, she lightly ambled toward the door, sticking her head outside to look about for any wandering persons who could force her back to her prison. Seeing no Inuyasha, her brother or the kit, Kagome stepped from the room, closing the door behind her with a bearly audible click. Glancing around once more to be sure that no one, by chance, heard the shutting door, she stalked down the hallway coming to its end she quickly shoved her body against the wall investigating the great room and kitchen for signs of life. Again finding no life stirring, she debated whether it would be wise to enter the room and explore the rooms of the hall across the way. Knowing, as it was the first place her brother and Shippo showed her, that the sleeping quarters of everyone else lay behind the doorways of that corridor.

Deciding that it would be best not to tempt fate, as they say, she swiftly went back the way she had come, figuring it would be best to see what lay beyond her door. Her sibling and the kit did not seem to think it was as interesting as their own rooms, or the great room, or the kitchen and Inuyasha's room, but Kagome was certain that it would at least prove entertaining. Behind the first of her query she found a bathroom and that was something that she marked in her memory as, with a grimace, she examined her unruly appearance in the mirror and at the feel of her gritty self. Reluctantly she left to return to her exploration, she would demand a bath after she was caught.

The next place she walked into brought a smile to her face, and, even as she walked the large expanse in wonder, Kagome could not help but to be curious as to why a safe house would have a dojo. Then, it also made a bit of sense, seeing that Inuyasha was Miroku's partner meant he was in the CIA, and an agent would need to brush up on their skills even in hiding. What more suitable way to exert this pent up energy she felt at being lock away for the day, and all of her sleep, then to walk through her Katas? To her even greater delight, Kagome found Krodachi lying against the wall beside a katana. Striding to the double swords, she took their familiar heft in hand, the thought for further exploration died as the rough material of the hilt met her palm and small fingers.

Assuming the stance for a particular kata that one needed much energy to use, as she had much to burn, she held the swords at an angle parallel across her face. Legs parted, knees bent as though coming to a crouch, Kagome gracefully moved her blades as though they were one in the motion of the tide lapping at the beach. That move slowly glided to another as the swords were pointed away from her, hilts twirled in her hands to bring the blades beneath her arms pits while her body shifted to the left, her feet remained as they were. Even that shifted in to something more, for as her mind became one with her movement, to the viewer it was as though watching a slow provocative dance of her soul.

Raw and unhindered by the lies that keep most locked tightly behind the bars of uncertainty, for when Kagome performed her dance everything that she used to hide her true self fell beneath this routine that often gave way to improve. In moments like these the true Kagome Higurashi came to light for even the senseless to see, and there she stood transfixed to the steps of her dance, a fiery sprit, a quick wit, and a sadness so bare that it stopped the viewer from speaking any words. Speech became beyond Inuyasha the second he stormed into the room with the very intent of hollering at her with such voice that even those above ground could hear it, yet that voice died away in his throat when her dance registered to his sight.

Mouth agape and heart pounding a mile a second, the hanyou had to tell himself to breathe as he watched the story of the soul he had bound himself to unfold. It was said that, when viewing another's passion, when seeing a person working in that field that gave them so strong of emotive feeling, one could see that true nature of a person. Anon, all Inuyasha could see was sadness so carefully etched into the moves and face of the girl that it pulled at his chest, and he would do anything to be rid of it. He hated to feel anything other than anger, annoyance, and the occasional murderous intent. Those were safe to feel and those gave a person less pain in the end, as he had a great history with emotion that went hand in hand with happy sentiments.

Strolling more fully into the dojo, Inuyasha scoffed aloud, startling his quarry from her movements. Kagome, as she had done before when sneaking on her in his penthouse dojo, dropped both of her swords from her hand. "You're a clumsily little thing aren't you," he sneered, "how do you ever expect to fight a man for real if your hold is so weak."

Squeaking in outrage, she picked up the Krodachi, pointing one blade in his direction. "I bet that I could take you on just fine." She challenged, chin held proudly. She had faced her aniki and made it without to many scrapes, and there was no way the hanyou before her was better then her big brother. No one, in her mind, was better then Miroku.

Inuyasha's eyes flashed as he deftly moved to pluck the only other sword from the floor against the wall, he was treading on dangerous territory. Even knowing this, he was never one to turn down an out right challenge as she had made, and his instincts were whispering so sweetly to ears making them twitch in anticipation. Partaking a stance, an ancient art that none but the family of Inutaisho knew of, the hanyou whispered darkly. "You're on little girl," the rough tone a telltale sign of his control slipping.

Standing loosely, she held both blades level with her hip, recalling her aniki's words. This was boy would definitely hold a greater strength then her own, and so she would need to move like liquid and use his powerful muscles to her advantage. Watching him carefully, to decipher what his body intended to do, she nodded her head telling him that he would have to make the first move as she had no aim of doing so. She paid close attention to the way his muscles bunched in preparation for his action to strike, from his body language, she assumed it would be to hit at her left side.

Unprepared as she was for the downward swoop of his blade, she hastily scissored her own to shield herself from the deadly blow, startled. Looking up into his face, she was angered to see a smug fanged grin about his lips, and kicked him in the gut causing his blade to fall away from her own while he clutched at the offended area. Unknown to Kagome, his eyes flashed again. Their fight consisted of a series of quick strikes, blocking, dodging, and speed. Something that she was not quite use to, this battle was a struggle closely resembling something of survival, and not the finesse she was use to when sparring with her brother. Sometimes the raven haired girl thought that the hanyou meant to kill her, and there were a couple of times when she had to retreat and collect herself, at which Inuyasha would respond by chuckling darkly and that sound was beginning to terrify her the longer things dragged out.

Kagome was beginning to tire, her limbs burned and now were straining to keep up with his motions and fend him off at the same time. The strike that had ripped the sword from her left hand she barely even registered, _was he beginning to grow faster, _her mind thought feverously. Adjusting her grip upon her lone Krodachi, she held the blade out before her, with a two handed hold for a better defense. Strength was useless against the hanyou, and the speed she prided herself upon was naught more but snails trail in comparison to his own. That thought all on its own stung worse then any of the blows she had ever received in a fight.

Clear thought was no longer a luxury that Inuyasha beheld, his mind was in red haze, his every action controlled by the instincts he was loath to have during this situation. This duel the hanyou should have never partaken, yet as he bore flashing eyes upon his prey a fanged grin spread wide, she was nearly beaten and he would be proven dominate. Tossing his blade to the side, his beast in near complete control, Inuyasha charged the girl claws outstretched in a deadly manner. He would prove that he was by far the stronger by handing her deft without the use of a metal weapon.

Ripping the single Krodachi from her hold with his bare hand the other violently slammed her up against the near by wall, his body pinning her firmly in place. Growling softly as he sniffed at her neck before he suddenly sealed his lips over hers, parting her mouth with his own, the hanyou dipped his tongue inside languidly exploring all the contours of her aperture. His body hummed with energy as he tasted her, the object of his obsession ever since he a placed his blood into her body, and purred in delight when she shyly tried her tongue against his own.

Nicking herself against one of his fangs, Inuyasha pulled back in horror as he felt her warm blood slide down his throat, whispering faintly an apology for losing control before bolting from the dojo. Leaving Kagome to slide down the wall in mass of confusion, with the ingestion of her blood, he had made for them an inseparable seal. Though the ritual was not complete, though they would not yet be considered fully entwined, he and the monk's sister were that much closer to it. His possessive blood would never relinquish this tiny bit of blood flow, her essence would never disperse from his veins and because of that his would never vanish from her own veins. Had this not occurred, his blood would have evaporated from her system after a few cycles through the pumping of her heart, and she would have been freed of him. Free to live a normal life. Now, because he could not control the pull of his inner youkai, Inuyasha had immovably enmeshed their beings and the only thing left was to move forward. However, the hanyou was unwilling to move onto the last step of the ritual, Miroku's little sister still had a choice in the matter, he would not rip it from her.

A ferocious snarl tore from his throat as he clenched his hands tightly, pricking the flesh of his palms on his claws, this was why hanyous were viewed as disgusting things that had no deserving existence. The disgust he felt with himself was like hot lead hollowing out his stomach, and, as he stormed his way toward his solitude in the safe house, Inuyasha filled his head with every derogatory thought on hanyou and agree with them all.

"Inuyasha," her sweet voice whispered, stilling him worse then one of Sesshoumaru's quickly executed paralyzing blows. Her mind was a mass of confusion, but she did have a good idea as to what his discomfort with the kiss they shared in the dojo may have been. Miroku was the problem. The hanyou and her brother were partners at the agency, and though her brother wanted her to have nothing to do with the inu-boy, she could see that they were very close. It was in the way that they spoke of the other, especially her aniki. "You don't have to get that upset about it, I," she paused suddenly feeling very shy and unsure of herself. She had never been in such a situation before, a boy never really giving it any thought to kiss her as who would want to kiss the girl whom could kick your butt better then anyone else. She was the tomboy other guys saw as a good pal, and would never seek anything else for fear of both her and her aniki's actions. Though Kagome had a suspicion that they feared her big brother much more then they feared any course that she might walk down. "I really didn't mind it and if you're worried about Miroku, I won't say anything to him, though with your strength you might be the one person to equal him." She added with a thoughtful frown, even with the admission, her brother was the strongest man in her eyes.

Inuyasha laughed softly at her words, he was ten times stronger then her aniki, but refrained from mentioning so. Miroku's reaction to the kiss never crossed his mind, however, his reaction to binding her even more to his being did. Despite Inuyasha being the stronger, he had no doubts that Miroku would find a way to kill him were he to find out what the hanyou had done to his little sister. He would more irate to learn that all chance of reversing what was done had been taken away by a mere kiss that should never have taken place. Only happening because the inu's instincts were driving him to take his sister in away that would bind them for all eternity. Miroku would really relish in hearing that whole sepal.

"Miroku and I have been through a lot, its why I let you and your brother stay in my penthouse, why I defied my own brother, and why I gave you my blood to heal your wounds. Despite that you would have died if not for what I had done," he gave her a rueful smile, "I don't think that would quite register in his brain. You're his sister, a blood sibling, and that counts for more."

Confusion wrinkled her brow, "I don't understand. Are you saying that my brother won't care for all of that, that he'll only see that you tried to take liberties with me if he found out?"

"I wasn't trying to take advantage!" He snapped.

She shot him a frown, saying in disdain, "injuring yourself just to get my sword away was distraction enough, but then I was slammed up against a wall giving me no time to form any thoughts before you kissed me! I'd say that's taking advantage of the moment," when in predicament less then desired, sometimes humor was the best answer, "why Inuyasha," she purred and though there was a slight tremor to her words, Kagome was desperate to lighten the air of this strained awkwardness. "I didn't know you harbored hidden desires for me, whatever will Miroku say?" She drew up a brow delicately and then laughed, her entire body shaking, as she took in Inuyasha bewildered, startled and fearful countenance. "I'm sorry," she gasped, and then added as she composed herself, though it was difficult now that his face had transformed into the most amusing scowl, "I was only joking." She shot him a sheepish grin, "the situation right now is so awkward that I felt the need to lighten the mood a bit, though I guess I'm not that great with humor as I thought. It always worked with Miroku and Souta," she added in explanation.

"Keh."

Kagome giggled again, and ventured to ask, seeing they were on seemingly safe grounds, "does that mean that I'm free to move now?" Seeing his dark look at the suggestion, she hastily added, if nothing else it could bring a smile to his face, "I think I deserve something for that freebie, I very well could have smacked you."

Inuyasha growled low in his throat, "the moment I see you in pain…" he left the threat hanging, unsure of what he would do but unwilling to allow her to believe she would be without punishment.

Laughing in joy, the young woman threw her arms around his neck, very happy to be free of her forced imprisonment. The first thing she would do with her freedom would be to take a bath and cleanse her body of the blood, soot, and dirt that coated nearly every inch of her flesh. "Thank you," she beamed, chuckling slightly at his startled features, she was in a good mood now that she had been freed. That, and having to crack jokes and find humor after the kiss that had been share between them sort of brought about this joyous feeling in her gut. "I'm going to see Shippo and Souta!" She called running as fast as her legs could carry her to their bedroom, hopping that her sudden withdrawal would stun him long enough that she would make her destination before he could think twice.

Inuyasha snorted as he slammed the door of his room shut, women were confusing creatures, and he had bound himself the strangest of all.

_**S**ilence. It reigned heavy in this darkened place, though there was a slight light given off from the moon through the windows. She remembered, as she trailed quietly at her grandfather's side, that he liked for things to be a pitch black with nothing more then moonlight to follow. Her father was to her other side, lips taut in a decidedly marked frown, causing her little heart to beat in agitation. Whatever was going to occur, her father was not happy about it, while her grandfather seemed almost giddy. He had an expression she held many a time after her father presented her with one of the many treasures he would acquire in his travels._

_Where they headed down the dark dank hallway she was not entirely certain as many times they had traveled down this path and yet she could never recall what occurrences lay beyond it. Yet the anxiety she felt weighing down her chest only seemed to intensify, squeezing her father's hand she whispered. "Tou-san, why do we always have to go there?" Go where, that was the information she really fished for but was not sure if her lack of memory should be known. Her grandfather never did like it all that much when she appeared foolish, and she did not want her beloved grandfather to be disappointed in her._

_Her father squeezed back, "masume, you have to take your testing again." Her body stilled._

_"Tou-san," she remembered what her mind had bade her to forget and swung her gaze up to her father's sorrowful one, and shook her head roughly. "No, Tou-san, I don't want to be tested. It hurts tou-san, it hurts," she murmured repeatedly while she just as suddenly dragged her weight, letting her feet drop from beneath her._

_Grandfather snapped a sharp gaze in her direction, barking, "get to your feet granddaughter, I will not have a weak grandchild! You must test, and you must pass, or you will no longer be of use to your dear Ji-san." He admonished gently._

_The raven-haired little girl stopped her struggles and incoherent mutterings to look up at her grandfather; "do you love me Ji-san?" She whispered the question, as though fearful for the answer might be, eyes watching the old man in uncertainty._

_"Hai granddaughter," her grandfather dutifully replied, held his arms out for her to run toward, and she did so without thought finding herself upswept into his firm embrace. "Now be a good girl," he murmured lowly, "and allow the medical team to perform this test. We must find out what is wrong so that we can fix it." The little girl nodded as she was released from his hold, and began to follow without complaint down the dark hall, her anxiety over proceeding far from quelled._

_The world around the little girl shimmered and wavered into a horrifying nightmare, where she was strapped to a metal bed as masked, gloved, men came towards her with sharp objects. She could feel an unseen force probing at her body while the man descended the sharp object towards her arm, shaving a thick piece of flesh from her, dabbing at the blood that dripped down her arm before placing the tissue into a baggy for later testing. Her body was immensely tired from undergoing all the trauma that had been forced unto it in the last hours, that she wanted nothing more then to fall into slumber. The unseen fingers, pointed nails, ran over her exposed body, running over the wires that poked into her form, in search of something. They seemed to be communicating with her in away that was difficult to understand, and before she could really grasp at what was happening, the world fell away from her again._

_She was slightly older now, her ji-chan stood beside another, a cruel smirk twisting his normal placid features as he calmly spoke to her father. "Come, now, boy, you can't truly mean to steal her away from me?" He laughed, and it was such a corrosive note that it melted at her eardrums, "she belongs to me, you would not have her had I not intervened. Your wife would have died along with the girl during the birthing processes had I not understood what was happening. I saved her and she belongs to me, my granddaughter."_

_"This is ludicrous, you're insane if you think the you can own my masume, not after everything that you have done to her!" The girl's father crowed with outrage, his shape literally shaking in anger. "Miroku take your sister to safety, and worry for nothing else." The boy nodded meekly, still feeling ashamed for allowing her to travel back into harms way._

_"Grandson I would stand where you are," her aniki paused, eyes growing large from the pistol pointed in his direction. The raven haired little girl felt her heart squeeze, surely their grandfather would not try to kill them, and before she assured herself the bang of the gun rang out defining her as she screamed in terror._

**_K_**agome shot up out of her bed, panting heavily. It had been two days since she had been given freedom, and in that time Inuyasha paid her no mind, except when viewing her choice in attire. It was not like she had say, as all that she had was what Kikyou had given her but that did not seem to matter to furious hanyou. It took quite some convincing to get him to shove down his irrational ire for what she could not change, and telling him that she would then have to walk around stark naked seemed to quiet him down quite a bit. Her and the kitsune had grew closer now that she knew him for what he was and assured the young boy that she was perfectly fine with his heritage, that it in no way changed her feeling about him. She had a blissful shower only to have it ruined after being told that everyone thought they were dead. They had to remain 'dead,' for another four days until they had been gone long enough for their pursuers to believe them gone for good.

Sitting up, she let the blankets fall around her, no one was left that would be able to console her fast beating heart because Miroku was not there. Normally such nightmares never made it through, somehow her aniki managed to keep that at bay, though since coming to this strange place they had been frequenting her much more lately. Nightmares of the most harsh since they were a cold hard reality, terrors born through sleep were always so much more startling when they were nothing but fact.

Moving from the bed as though a wraith blanket still attached to her form came trailing after as she sought the comfort of her otouto. Through the darkened room, she went ambling in a sleepy haze towards Souta's dwelling, hopping to be consoled of the night terrors that held her mind steadfast. Ever since the death of her father, she had been having the dreams of things that were truths of long ago, yet she dissected them from her conscious thought, and forced them away to where they would only be remembered in sleep. She needed some one to take the fear away.

Stumbling through the doorway of what she presumed to be her little brother's room, Kagome lethargically took unsteady steps towards his bed. "Souta," she whispered gently, moving to stand at his bedside, she reached an arm out to gently shake the shoulder protruding from the bed.

Strong hands grabbed at her, pulling her downward, a hand placed firmly over her mouth to halt the scream that had begun to sound in the back of her throat. Somehow being transferred underneath the weight of a body, amber eyes pierced into her own, flashing dangerously. "What are you doing in here?" He demeaned dourly. She tensed, readying her body to fight her way from his room if need be when his severe tone etched its way across the skin of her cheek.

"I thought that this was Souta's room," she mumbled chagrined with the fact that in her sleepy haze she had entered the wrong doorway and stepped into the devils lair rather then her own sanctuary from the demons hounding her in her wake. "I had a nightmare." Kagome explicated hopping that it would curb the temper she had seen rise in him during her days of wakefulness perhaps the hanyou could find it in his heart to feel sympathy towards her predicament.

Fingers danced down the expanse of her face, light feather touches that she had to concentrate in order to feel. "That's why you were so uneasy, why you were despairing." He whispered, fever pitched, matching the near quiet of the night. She still really had not figured out a way to discern night from day other then with sleep and wakefulness. "Why are you here?" He asked again, this time, though, there was curious air to his tone.

Her brow drew down in confusion, "I don't mean to be here, I came to find Souta?" For one reason or another the answer left her mouth as more a question to his inquiry rather then an answer. Uncertain, Kagome tried to wiggle her body from beneath his, wanting to leave to the comfort of her sibling from this man she knew nothing about. The inu made her nervous; there was something about him that pulled at her, strengthened in the two days since they shared a stolen kiss. The young girl chalked it up to that fact that she had never been touch in any form by the opposite gender and so it was beginning to invoke strange feelings within her breast. "You have to move so I can go," she supplied to his probing gaze.

After a moment he grinned, and then said. "I don't think I want to move," at her indignant squeak, Inuyasha added, "it took quite awhile to convince those brats to give up their video game and sleep, so I don't want you waking them up. Stupid Kikyou, giving the brats stupid gifts," he complained almost mutely.

"It was a nice thing that Kikyou did," she admonished, "but I do see your point." She added, again trying to slip out from underneath the dog-boy, only to be halted again. "I'll just go back to my room and good back to bed." She clarified, and though she did not want to be without the comfort she had been seeking, Kagome was not entirely sure she wanted to spend so much time alone in this man's presence.

"No."

"Oh, then I'm," she struggled with the words, "staying here?"

"Yes."

She was beginning to grow irritated with his tiresome short worded answers, then gave her own in question. "Why?" She breathed, inert, though she wanted to leave, as she awaited the answer to her inquiry.

Rolling so that she was lying on top of him, Inuyasha tried to calm his nerves, he was a quivering wreck, but with his mask of arrogance, it was not easy to trace. She was greatly troubled by whatever lied in her dreams, if, now that they had both shared blood, she were to lie in his arms she would have less of chance repeating that night terror. The instincts that ruled him demanded nothings less, never mind that, though he coward behind that exuse, his instincts had nothing to do with this decision. "You're still upset," he murmured while pulling his blanket over her shoulders while her head rested upon his chest over his heart. That was that one point that offered the most comfort, at least that is what he had heard, because the steady thrum often hypnotized ones mate into restful sleep. "Just go to sleep, and if you don't want to remember this when you wake up, then I won't remember either." He added.

"Okay," Kagome complied as the avid beats of his heart washed over her senses to bring a slumberous sensation over every inch of her limbs. She really had no wishes to still be awake, her body being so immensely tired that her eyes needed such strength to keep open.

There was more that he could do for the girl, deeper ways in which he could ease the fear from her sleep addled mind, yet he refused to fall so deeply into this mess he created. This was the limit of his forced kindness, normally he was not even this agreeable towards others, and so he would tread not a step further over the many lines of barriers he had long ago agreed never to bisect. Feeling her shiver against his chest, her churning over the remembrances, his resolve crumbled though he still refused what his instincts were driving him towards. "What did you dream of?" Kagome gave a start and brought inquisitive browns up to his golden eyed gaze, "it helps, sometimes, to keep them from returning if you talk about them." His mother had confided this trade secret to him when he was still very small.

Mouth working silently the girl was unsure of how to respond. Only her aniki could help her with these night terrors, reminiscences she was not suppose to speak to another living soul other then her otouto and aniki, even her mother and grandfather were not permitted to know. Her father forbade it, yet the words of her dream came tumbling fourth. She had to be strong for Souta and how could she be strong if she awoke shaken for the remainder of the day by her nightmares. "I was there when my father died, I saw it all, Miroku was going to take me back but the man didn't want him to so he shot my aniki but tou-san got in the way. He fell off the mountainside down the waterfall, and I remember screaming until my throat was raw. Aniki gave me something so that I would sleep, so I don't remember what happened to the man or how I got back home, just that I awoke back in my bed at the shrine and tou-san was dead." She did not want to talk about her ji-san and how much he loved her, that it was her fault that her father had to die, and she most certainty did not want to speak of the painful tests her grandfather forced her to partake.

Against his will a low rumble resonated in his chest, her choked confession catching in the part of his heart he often felt the need to forget. Her tense body against his suddenly went boneless signaling the complete relaxed state of her being with the sound reserved for mate or child, a sound he did not want to emit for her. A sound -an almost cat-like purr- that he wanted no female ear to be graced with. "My old man is dead too," why was he keeping her from sleep? Why did he insist upon doing more to ease her disgruntled spirit then he already was performing, no one would fault him for not going that extra mile, and so why? Why continue down this road? He had saved her life, if anything she owed him for still breathing! Therefore, why did he feel this limitless debt owed to her? "I didn't see him die, so its not quite the same, but he was taken away by some bastard who didn't like the old man refusing his corrupt offer at becoming allies." What did he hope to gain by offering up this bit of information? Honestly, he did not know.

"Do you know who it was?" Her question was feint signaling that she was further being pulled by the will of sleep.

Despite the grim topic at hand, Inuyasha felt a smile pull at the corner of his lip, she had so swiftly fallen into a deep and fitful sleep, before his mouth was drawn downward into a tight frown. _No, I don't know, but when I find out that bastard it going to get a grizzly death. _The hanyou assured his mind.

**_C_**lear across the country a man of questionable sanity paced about the carpeted floor of his office, his twiterpated grandson seated and watching him. Wanting to know were the young man, his protégé, spent his disappearances he had one of his best trackers follow him and though it was not a cake walk, he managed to find out the object of his grandson's infatuation. A trump card stowed away for later negotiations. The brown haired girl was not bad to look at, though he could not understand the level of caring he showed toward the woman, she was -in his opinion- too cheerful and niece to warrant his grandson's affecting. He still had yet to place a name and address with her, only catching them by chance walking hand in hand across the crosswalk from an ice-cream polar. Akahito's mouth twitched in distaste, his grandson was not suppose to act like a hormone driven teenager, rather a cold and calculating killer. It was how he programmed the boy to be and it was how he should act.

Whisking the ideal musings away by massaging at his temples, he set his thoughts back towards the matter at hand. Looking his insolent grandson square in the eyes, he spoke forcefully. "Don't you dare undermine me in this you defiant cur!"

Slamming his hands flat upon his desk, he stood in his anger, eyes flashing, "and you want to risk our operations by shifting through the city looking for two dead children! I have no choice but to undermine you, you've completely lost it grandfather!"

After that, Akahito Houjo was seeing red, he was sane, and no one went behind his back defied his say. He was the greater, the master, the puppeteer, and some little puppet was not going to try becoming a real, full being, to steel away his control. "Grandson, a little bit ago I did some digging," he spoke with a deceptively calm voice, "and I found out about the most interesting place you disappear too." Since he had Haku's undivided attention, Houjo went for the kill. "She is such a lovely girl, I would hate for something bad to happen to her, anything could happen to a woman living all on her own." His concerned tone was mocking as he took a wild stab in the dark, he really had no idea as the home or name of the young woman, but Haku did not need to be informed of that little tidbit.

Defeat weighed his shoulders downward, causing the boy to drop to his seat heavily, and Akahito could not help but to grin victorious. "You promise not to harm a hair on her head and I will let you recall your fruitless search."

"Agreed."

Suddenly Haku had to know, the image of his grandfather crying still burned into his retina, and softly he spoke in question. "Grandfather, why do you hunt for them so, they likely know nothing. They 're just children whom have had the misfortune of being born to a traitor, they were small when he whisked away what you work so hard to find, why are they so important when they obviously know nothing?"

The old man laughed heartily, with a maniacal undertone. "Foolish grandson, you do not understand, those children are nothing more then unknowing carriers. I believe that one of them know what I want without being consciously aware, I only need to find them." He assured.

Haku snorted, but refrained from going any further to display what he thought of his grandfather's foolhardy plan, remembering that he knew of Rin. "And if they are dead, what are you going to do then?"

"They can't be dead," was all he would say before storming off to get the search for the dead siblings underway. Once he was sure he was not followed, taking every confusing path to lose anyone who might be tracking him, he would go and worn Rin to get away. He did not trust that his grandfather would keep it word, as he trusted that the old man had no idea as to where Rin lived.

**_T_**he next few days were spent in relative calm, since that night she spent in his arms neither had spoken of the incident and tended to give each other much room. Though, even with that, all five of the them seemed to grow extremely close since hiding out together and who would not living in such close quarters. Souta had, after hearing tale after tale of Inuyasha's prowess from Shippo, developed a hero worship for the hanyou and even Kagome had a hard time not admiring some of the things she heard. There had been a few close calls, but nothing like what happen within in the dojo or the night of her nightmare, and Inuyasha was feeling oddly at ease with that feeling that he perhaps had mastered his instincts. If that were true, or if they were just being silent content with the progress being made, time will tell. The inu, however, to insure no more repeats usually spent his days in his temporary dwelling.

Tucked away deep within the sewer systems, cozy and content, the time for them to enter harsh reality was fast approaching and Miroku had yet to gain consciousness after falling to the pressure and Sesshoumaru was close to loosing his calm as well. Kagura had gone missing and it would be suicide to try to march into the agency's office demanding for her to return home. The only thing he could do was to sit back and wait for whatever was to come to come and hope that Kagura's death was not the result.

Nothing is ever so simple in life.

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_**A/N:**_

Wow, I finished finally, I hope that you all like it! This chappie was manly Inu and Kag fluff, me starting the foundations for their romantic relationship, considering that they've just met and I've already got some pretty good ones for Sess/Kagura and San/Miro, though I've got to work a bit on Rin/Haku…. Tell me what you all think, am I doing a good job on the romance department, I know most of you are reading it for that reason, so I gotta know if I'm doing all right.

That kiss scene it took me a while to write it, I've always had trouble writing such things, and in movies I've always gotta look away. I can never watch them, and I don't even want to think about when they start to do more then kissing, I always get so flustered and embarrassed. So I don't know if I'll be doing anything more then kissing, but if every wants me to bad enough I'll try, but I won't make any promises. The most I'll likely do is a bit of kissing, maybe some clothes disappearing and them **_BAM!_** They're lying in bed together naked!

Anyway,

I'd like a moment to thank my reviewers, your all so wonderful! **_XochicalocaOX-_** I'm so glad that you liked my story so much, but, I'm not that talented though I appreciate that you think so, that means that I'm doing something right!**_ Demon Exterminator Barbie- _**Thank you so much, you really think this story is AMAZING! That makes me so happy, you know, because this story took so long to come up with and I take so much time to try and make it interesting for my readers. MiroSan huh? I like them too. **_Coykoi-_** Peru Oh yes, its going to be a riot, and will feature in this next chapter or the one after it. **_Foxcat-_** 0O wow, I missed a lot of things… thanks for pointing them out to me I really appreciate it. When I get the time I'll go back an fix em all, I'm going to get that openoffice thing they show on The one I'm currently using likes to make strange changes that I don't want as I type and I have to go through and comb for all the errors with a fine tooth comb. Ah, I meant the whole instinct thing (I'll explain that better when I go through and fix things) Inuyasha meant that if it were him, even though he's only half-youkai he would have been driven up the wall by her attire and the men staring at her in it. His dad's blood (in my story) was very strong so Inuyasha retained more of the behaviors of a full youkai then he would have being only half, he's acknowledging that Naraku is nearly the same. Only he forgets that he's of the dog variety and they are generally more possessive. Thanks for reading and leaving a review . **_AngelMiko289- _**Peru was a very devastating tragedy for Kikyou's and Inuyasha's relationship, more so then when he nearly got her burned at the stake, and this happened long before she was mated to Naraku. More will be revealed within the next chapters. Thank you so much, I'm glad that you like this story, it means a lot! Aren't I cruel, to be putting poor Inuyasha through such a thing heheheh. **_SailorInu1-_** I'm glad that you think I'm doing an awesome job, it means a lot, and things with Inu and Kag will be getting a lot closer from her on out. **_MyFav. Anime-_** Wow! Four or five times, just to leave a review, well I'm glad that you did. I always enjoy reading your reviews. What Kagome and Kikyou talked about won't come up until this next chapter, by accident cause Kagome was not suppose to say anything, (a cheat) Kikyou was trying to get a little pay back by slipping her some information. I know but he was so lost to his grief, yep all very sad.

Thank you all my wonderful reviewers, you give me the strength to go on (is that a bit too dramatic nah.). Seriously though, you guys are all so great!


	18. Return and Peru

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Inuyasha!

_**Hidden Beneath a Smile**_

**_Chapter Eighteen: _**Return and Peru

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**_T_**wo weeks had finally come and had past by scathingly slow, it was absolute horror trying to resist completing the ritual when the girl was constantly behaving in was that grasped at his inner beast. Yet, he had managed to do so and kept his sanity in check, though how long that would last only time would tell since she was unknowingly determined to rest clear thought from his mind. Despite having resolved not to like her no matter how her personality appealed to his, Inuyasha found that he had grown a soft spot for her in this short time they have been trapped together. It did not mater the amount of times he had shoved that blame onto the bond he had created in order to save her life, the fact of the matter was that he had grown fond of some one other then his select few. That in itself was confusing and he really hated pondering on such thoughts. The ideal that he wanted to keep her, to hold her, in his embrace and blanket her in his protection, sickened him. Inuyasha, with her obsessive need to prove herself stronger then she really was, had no doubts that she too would be just as disgusted by his thoughts. There were really only two women whom had his complete affections, and one that he grudgingly care for, his mother was dead and Rin and Kikyou were like sisters. However, he was admittedly closer to Rin. He held no love for anyone else with the exception of the obvious few.

Yet, he had to admit that he was beginning to have these abhorred feelings for Miroku's sister. While he refused to spar with her, again since that day and Inuyasha found that he enjoyed both their arguments and conversations to pass the time. The hanyou had to concede, for his peace of mind, the fact that what he truly enjoyed about the girl was her interactions with Shippou. An occurrence that was worse then this growing fondness for her as Shippou was almost a son to him, touching his heart in an odd way, and this was something else that he had helplessly tried to pass off onto his instincts and the bond he had forged. While some of it could be shoved off, it was not the fact that she paid motherly affection to his kit, rather they way her entire body lit up when she observed the kitsune's trickster yet innocent behavior. It, truthfully was the same for her brother, her eyes grew luminous with the kid's excitement, her features growing animate, and her aura radiating a child-like purity. It all pulled him to her with greater magnetic force then a moth to a flame and that frightened him.

Rolling to his side Inuyasha looked toward the wall of this empty square box, listlessly. This was the moment he was supposed to be rallying the troops to ride topside and yet he was procrastinating. Inuyasha, despite wanting to leave to his brother and Miroku to tell that they were not dead, was not quite ready to leave this solitude. Even if the day before he thought of it as his torturous prison for his countless careless acts against authority. Rolling off the bed Inuyasha agilely stood and ambled across the floor with purpose, the plush carpet cool against his bare feet. His stomach rumbled in hunger causing the hanyou to push forward with renewed vigor. The girl's home cooking was surprisingly reminiscent of his mother's own, a well-studied chef, and he could not help but to wonder where she learned such a delicate art. Even though, he wanted to know he would not proceed to satisfy his want of the knowledge. It was not out of sensitivity for her mother's passing, but rather he did not want to express a formal interest in her person.

"Inuyasha," the girl beamed causing the said hanyou to squirm uncomfortably. "I was wondering what was taking you so long, you're normally dragging me from bed to make breakfast. It was such a surprise to be waking up normally for once." She teased lightly, though she watched him worriedly hopping for an answer as to what ailed him that morning.

The hanyou's ear twitched at that, "keh, one shouldn't sleep at long as you do, its unnatural," he spat in his defense.

Unperturbed, Kagome continued as though he said nothing out of the ordinary while she placed a plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes under his nose. "Well, we all can't be hanyou, now can we?" She quipped, moving fluidly to clear Souta and Shippou's dishes from the table after they made hasty -yet polite- pleas for egress. "Why are you so late? Are you not feeling well," she prodded conversationally. Ever since that night they sparred together, Kagome had been trying to engage the hanyou into a conversation wanting to know more of the enigma. He was secretive and knew perfectly well how to dodge a question both direct and indirect. She had seen in him what Miroku had warned her of while she saw many things that belittled his cold, hard and arrogantly bitter front. He only ever came undone on a rare occasion for Shippou, and though he had comforted her on many occasions he still remained guarded. Kagome had no cares for men -mostly because they shied away from her- yet she had this oddest want to get under his skin, to see the true face behind the mask.

"I'm feeling fine," and as he savagely tore at his breakfast he added, "I was just preparing for when we'd visit my brother and yours." He did not have to feed her any of this information, yet he had this sudden desire to see her reaction to the news. He waited in the tense silence that followed his response for her reaction.

Her head bowed as many thoughts raced through her mind all at once, most prominent thought being that she would finally be able to relieve the ache in his chest at their feigned passing. When she had taken time to think of it Kagome had felt her heart clench and tears prick at her eyes at the mere idea of her dear aniki's death, what must he had felt at hearing of hers and Souta's just so soon after their mother and grandfather? She would get to see him again, be the one giving the assurances, rather then being the one comforted. "I will get to see aniki," a smile slowly spread across her face and for once Kagome did not need to fake elation, screaming as she ran down the hall. "Souta! Souta guess what?"

Inuyasha had taken every detail of each expression that bloomed across her face with his keen sight. He had thought, as sadness etched her features, that perhaps she too was beginning to mourn the thought of leaving the safe house. However, not a moment sooner she was racing away from him to herald her joy at leaving to her little brother. Eating at a sedate pace, the hanyou murmured fondly, before taking a bite and chewing on the mouthful morosely. "I thought that would make you happy…."

There was a lot to be done that day, major planing on his part, on how to move about the upper world unseen like the passing of a cloud to his family's compound. The upside of this whole situation was that their little group would not have to travel far in order to reach his intended direction, the only problem that needed solving were the eyes that would be watching. The entire point of this feigned death was to throw off any further pursuers that would try to make sure their deaths were more permanent, he did not want his efforts at deception to be cast off as a vein attempt. Once the girl and her brother were safely tucked away within the heavily castellated walls of his family home such exertions of pursuit would be pointless for the enemy to continue as one could find no chinch in those walls to castigate for an ingress. Yet, there was always a chance for the enemy to block them along the way were those eyes to catch wind of their coming.

Shippou had no other charms with him that were strong enough to hide their shape from prying eyes long enough for them to get along were they needed. Though the young kit grew in strength as days passed, he had not the power to maintain a veil over their features as they walked. While he could seek a way to change their appearance physically, his would be quite difficult to achieve seeing as he lost his spelled charm during the chaos of the explosion. "Hey," fingers snapped before his vision and with those fingers his exasperation, "so you are in there. I was beginning to wonder," she teased, humor sliding off her tongue a tangible substance. "So when do we leave?" Her good humor was beginning to grate on his nerves; Inuyasha did not feel that she should be so joyous at leaving their solitude when he was feeling reluctance to leave it.

Amber eyes rounded at a sudden thought, and Inuyasha soon found his annoyance fleeing like quick silver. "Do you know what it is like to fly?" He did not quite grasp how her words had triggered this idea, those eyes that would be watching for them would not house the capabilities to sight him through his speed, and so their idenity would relatively be safe.

Brown eyes narrowed in confusion. "I've been on a plane before, if that's what you mean?"

Inuyasha chuckled, what he was going to allow her to experience was so much more, a sensation closely related to hang-gliding. "No, I mean really fly, like a bid, no metal surroundings." He elaborated, even going so far as to use hand motions in order to explain his meaning.

Kagome shook her head eyeing the hanyou before her strangely, "people can't fly," then she gasped barely audible, face contorting into a slight realization as she recalled Shippou's words. He was not human and there were many things, as told by the kit, that his kind could do that a regular person could not. "Right?" She added, the uncertain note hesitantly.

Amber orbs twinkled as they watched the girl before him in amusement with underlying tones of apprehension. This was not something he did on the sly with every girl he met, and the only other to experience his joy was Shippou and Rin and thus he was agitated. Something he was not even sure of why he felt, as there was no reason for it to exist within his chest. "Yeah, people can't fly, but," he drawled, "I can perform something pretty damn similar."

Clearly not believing him Kagome treated this part of the conversation as though it was a game due to the playful light illuminating the hanyou. The fact that the man before her had never once acted in such a manner in her presence never occurred to her as she was caught up in their humorous banter. "Really," she rendered whimsically, "then if you've never flown like a bird then how can you compare your skill to one?"

Adopting a serious frown Inuyasha responded, "I have. Sesshoumaru can do something of the like but he refuses to tell me how," and then muttered irritably, "something about me abusing the power. Keh, as if, he's the one constantly abusing power." Then added with just as much irritation lacing his words, "we both own equal shares yet he treats me like the under dog, forcing crap odd jobs down my throat, just because he thinks he-." His eyes widened with the sudden realization that he was rambling on about the pet peeves he held against his brother with a petulant frown twisting his face. Waving his words away with a rough switch of his hand, he said, while trying to stave the red stain from over taking his cheeks. "Never mind that," the playful whim he felt was past and there was nothing left but to tell her straight out so that he could go into a brooding silence. "We can't be seen once we leave, not until were at the Shikaku Compound, and I was trying to think of a way to make that possible and the only way I could come up with was to run across the roof tops."

"Run across the roof tops," she mouthed slowly, shock resting in her limbs, "is that… is that safe? Is it even possible?"

"Tch, none of that matters," he waved aside her concerns, "just pack what you don't want to leave behind. I want to leave within the next few hours." Truthfully, he did not want to leave at all; however, there were important matters to attend to and people who needed dethroning for him to succumb to his conflicting emotions for Miroku's little sister.

"All right, but…" she trailed, placing her hands together in a pleading manner, "could we give Kikyou her clothes back? I know you both don't get along, and I can understand why she doesn't like you considering…. Anyway she was kind enough to give me clothes out of her own closet so I wouldn't have to walk around naked," her words died away at the strange light that had suddenly come into the hanyou's amber eyes. "Is something wrong," she ventured nervously.

"Exactly what," he interrogated with a slow methodical baritone that had the young girl on edge, "did Kikyou say to you while you were alone all those hours?" Try as he might, he could not catch a word of their conversation as the room had been warded against eavesdroppers, a point he had forgotten in his desire to avoid being too alone with her since the night of their sparring session. He wanted to kiss her again, angry at the thought, Inuyasha bit out harshly. "Don't lie, I'll be able to sniff it out."

Kagome worked her mouth silently a long while trying to find the right words to say in order to appease his sudden anger. "I, well, nothing really she just told me about how you left her to burn at the stake in a third world village in the middle of uncharted terrain. I can see why she doesn't like you, if you had done that to me I would have roughed you up a little, not hold the grudge she's obviously keeping." There was nothing really left to say other then the truth, besides he seemed pretty honest about being able to sniff a lie should she tell one. Kikyou had told her other stories, but the hanyou need not know that little tidbit.

"Leave it to Kikyou to give stories with only half truths," he spat contemptuously, "I didn't know that they would burn her alive over something so stupid as calling her what I normally call her. I did not leave her to burn alive either, in fact I got her out of there just before the flames reached her feet." He stated proudly. Inuyasha would have added that she did knock him unconscious for several days after feeding him a rather large jolt of her purifying powers, but refrained from mentioning so. That part really did not need to be known at the moment and he only hope that Kikyou had not divulged that information, it seemed she had not. Right now, he needed to fix what ever damage the Miko Witch's story caused in his personal character, as the thought of her seeing him as someone less was maddening to his mind.

Kagome eyed the hanyou skeptically, "but you're really strong, did you really have to wait so long and let her think she was going to die?" She really did not think that he had intended such a thing, but she was curious about Inuyasha as a person and her brother's warnings kept floating around in her head. Miroku had been really adamant that she stay away and there had to be a reason for it, he would not demand something like that without there being just cause for the order. "She must have been terrified," she added sadly.

Pay back, pure and simple, it was what had kept him from running to the miko's aid like a fateful hound, but that was just how their relationship was. Kikyou understood and respected it, but he was not quite sure that the young woman before him would get the significance, however twisted the sentiment may be. It was just how he and the Miko Witch worked together, their personalities clashing entirely too much for what most would consider healthy interaction. "It was a whole village," he ushered out the fabrication easily enough, "so I had to wait until the right moment. It didn't occur to me until people started screaming about youkai when my charm came loose that I could just use their fears as a tactic to secure her safe return." That part had been true enough, however, if he truly wanted to he could have taken out the entire village and no one would be the wiser since it was such a people that believed in the existence of other worldly creatures.

She, much to his relief, seemed to consider his words and smiled. "I didn't think that my brother would befriend some one who was capable of such a thing," and Inuyasha felt his heart clench because he knew it to be untrue, he was permissive of that and so much more. "But I don't understand why she would say such a thing, she did not seem the type to tell lies, but then again we had just met even though I like to think of myself as a pretty good judge of character." The hanyou had to disagree, her insight in the hearts and minds of others was considerably lacking, it was just that she wished to see the best in others that made her think so. At least that was a conclusion he was able to come to due to their interactions and her words on Kikyou. There, in his experience, was not a person alive that would keep from a small fib or manipulation to get their way if it suited their fancy at the time. His brother and Miroku fit the description even if their reasons were made of pure intentions, then again, it were the motivation for doing things that separated one from the other.

Right now Inuyasha's motivation was revenge on his, dare he say it, 'close companion' for causing his skin to itch and his instincts to act out after he had a manageable hold worked up. "Keh, she's got her reasons," and those were to mess with him for probably bringing up Peru, speaking of that little continent, the hanyou's mind worked feverish with evil intent. If she could throw past mistakes out into the open then he could also bring out a whopper. "It was her fault the plain went down anyway, thinking she knows everything, just like that little mishap in Peru."

"Peru," Kagome murmured curiously, then shook her head against it, "no, it's not of my business, I don't want to know." She added, there was something sinister in the air around Inuyasha and she was not quite sure she wanted to be privy to what he so dearly wanted to release into the open.

He chose to ignore her protesting words, all girls liked gossip, and all the ones he knew could not get enough of it with the exception of Rin. She knew the pain that slanderous palaver could cause to a person being at the receiving end of more then a few harmful rumors. What he chose to reveal was the truth and completely different from what he and Rin constantly faced from those of the society, as if Kikyou could speak of their escapades then he certainly should have a little leeway with his own shared memories with the miko. "The miko and I were positioned in Peru for a mission that was made at the last second, so we really had no information towards it except for the basics."

"So wait," she began, "Kikyou is an agent and you two use to be partners, but I thought that you and Miroku were partners? Did you have to be reassigned?" Shaking her head once again, she did not want to come off as one of the busybodies that she strongly disliked when she had been attending her old school, but she could not help trying to seek out information. Miroku was disinclined to tell her anything other then to stray from Inuyasha, and that the man that had killed their father was after her and Souta for some reason or another. She wanted more, she wanted to know exactly why the events of the past few weeks had taken place, she was tired of being completely shrouded in darkness when concerning maters that were threatening all of their lives and had already nearly claimed them twice. "No, no, don't tell me, it's none of my business," she reaffirmed again, her aniki would just have to be pestered until the information she sought came pouring from his mouth out of exasperation. It was the secret art that all younger siblings bore, and she would unleash it relentless against Miroku until he succumbed to her will and spilled his guts about the whole situation.

Normally one had to pry inner knowledge from Inuyasha with a crowbar in a rather literal sense, but because he was on a vengeful mission, he was divulging information quite willingly. He wanted to keep the girl interested until he got to the Miko Witch damaging part of the tale, "you could say that." Though most claimed the hanyou to be a bit dense, he was in fact not stupid at all, and could see that Miroku's sister obviously thought that they were all still part of CIA, though he had never been an agent himself. If his partner had not wanted his sister to be privy of their trade secrets then he would continue to shade her from any insight that could trigger questions until her brother decided to illuminate the shadows of her mind with true enlightenment. "Peru was our first mission and the whole her nearly dying at the stake thing was our last together, the, um, higher ups decided that us working together was perilous to the operation." Sesshoumaru had thought that by the two of them working together, since they held a healthy dislike of each other, they would make a wonderful team being some of the top operates in the society. His brother finally consenting to defeat, the hanyou had been set as Miroku's partner; a set up he had wanted in the beginning.

Scarlet crossed Kagome's cheeks as a thought crossed her mind that she could not help but to give voice to, before losing strength half way through. "Was it because… were you two intimate, is that why…" she squeaked, and then said tersely. "Never mind!" She could not even fathom the reason why she had asked such a personal and invading question, it held no bearings upon the things that she wished to no longer be kept out of.

A mixture of disgust and surprise made up Inuyasha's features, "you do not realize how disgusting your assumption is, I wouldn't want to touch that witch with a ten foot pole and definitely would have no relationship other then one strictly of business with her." The hanyou shuddered violently at the mental pictures her suggestion had given him, and then he became thoughtful. What was her reason to ask such a question, was there an ulterior motive? He moved his mind from such musings as, although his beast was content to travel down that path, he knew that she was being a curious teenage girl. From her scent, he could smell no hints of jealousy, or hidden secrets, just a heavy tinge of embarrassment. "Why do you asked," he ventured anyway.

Blush still prominent across her visage, Kagome said lowly, "I just can't understand why the two of you would hate each other so much, so I just thought…." She let the word hang as she struggled to say what moments ago she had gathered courage to ask.

A large grin spread across his lips as he said easily what she could barely utter, "that we were intimate? Hardly," he snorted, "hate is far from the description of our 'relationship,'" the word sliding off his tongue tauntingly. "What Miko Witch and I share is complete and total dysfunction, I do something to tick her off and she tries to top whatever it was that I had done, like telling you about me nearly getting her killed." He explicated, and then shrugged, "I know it sounds like a hateful association, yet deep down I know that if she were in trouble I would help her out like she helped me with this, even if my fist instinct is to leave her high and dry."

"Hmm," Kagome hummed, "I see, in that case I think I'll go get my things pack and tell Souta and Shippo to do the same."

Inuyasha reached out and grasped her arm, halting her from moving any further. "Hey I haven't finished telling you about Peru," he complained. The hanyou was not about to let the girl walk away before he had his revenge against the Miko Witches treachery.

Carefully, he had sharp claws; Kagome removed the hand from her arm looking up into the amber gaze with hard eyes, "I understand that. Since you obviously need help being the bigger person, I'm going to lay a deaf ear toward your story. One wrong turn does not make a right," she recited the words her father often spoke when she and her siblings were in their younger years. "I'm going to save you from being an idiot," she declared.

Stunned, Inuyasha could scarcely find the tongue to retort to her comment, the only one to ever argue against his treatment of Kikyou was Sesshoumaru and that was only because of the detrimental risk it held towards their mission at the time. Otherwise, those whom had come to know the warring two understood their strange interactions and in time chose to ignore their childishness toward the other. "Being an idiot," he echoed hollowly, and then laughed, "no, she would take my telling you a compliment even if she'd attempt to rip my ears from my head, but if you don't want to hear it then that's fine." He would show her that he was much better then Kikyou, his pride was on the line, and there was not much that he loved more then that.

Kagome shot the hanyou a skeptical look before walking away, how could anyone feel complimented by someone sharing their deepest darkest secret to a complete stranger. Even if this would be considered a bad personality flaw, it was not bad enough for her brother to forbid contact with the hanyou; some greater research into the matter would need to be completed.

**_C_**onfusion, her mind was a massively befuddled mess, and she could not sort through her strewn thoughts enough to remove the dazed look from her eyes as she lugged her heavy suit case up to the front gate of the Shikaku Estate. The first round of security she would have to walk through, and the young woman had doubts that her thoughts would be clear by the time she made it to the actual mansion. Setting her luggage down, Rin pressed her six-digit code into the charmed box, only those with a purpose there knew of its location.

"Welcome Rin," the disembodied voice croaked, "Sesshoumaru-sama is at the front awaiting your arrival." The news should not have surprised her; it had been quite awhile since she had last shown up for her daily duties, yet the knowledge gave her heart a small start.

There were two reasons for her returning with the intent to live in one of the guest quarters of the estate, one being her inability to believe Inuyasha's death and the other being the warning from Haku. For some reason, he believed her to be in danger. She would have thought it was a joke, yet, due to the pale and drawn out features of his face she had no other choice but to take it for the truth. Who, despite her obvious line of work, would be out to get her? To the entire world, due to Sesshoumaru's hard labor in the matter, thought her to be nothing more then the secretary to worlds greatest technologies tycoon. Even most of the society was unaware of her knowledge toward their true existence, so who would know of the side she stood upon in veiled silence. Better yet, how could Haku know that she was in danger, exactly who was he to know such things?

Inuyasha was dead.

That was another ideal that her mind was finding highly difficult to comprehend. How could that arrogantly stubborn hanyou die? Her entire time of knowing him, he had been anything but penetrable, and so she could not wrap herself around this lie. It had to be a lie, some sick prank or another the Shikaku brother's were playing on her for staying away for so long. Still, Kagura had looked so distraught when she had delivered the news, and during that time, she had seen the face of a friend that she had thought to be lost. Perhaps the wind youkai had been miss informed to give this horrid joke more strength. This all had to be a fabrication, as it could not be real.

Sesshoumaru stood tall and imposing as ever watching her with that stoic gaze of his, yet she could see the flickering of concern, worry and fear trying to hid themselves behind his trademark look. Rin had to pause under that gaze a moment before her bags fell from her hands and she was running at full force to his person, finding herself caught up in a strong embrace. "Tell me it's a lie," she murmured at first, tears slipping from her closed lids, and when he made no answer she screamed, "tell me it's a lie!"

"I cannot," the soft notes a strong sound ringing horrifically through her brain.

She backed away from his hold slowly, shaking her head against his words, "iie, no," she muttered, "no! It has to be a lie, it has to be, Inuyasha is not dead!" Rin shrieked, marching forward, she grasped unto Sesshoumaru's suite trying to shake the truth from his mouth. "Say it, say he's not dead! Tell me that he's alive!" She commanded.

"Rin," the Taiyoukai uttered softly, painfully, "this Sesshoumaru cannot."

With those words leaving agonizingly from his mouth her legs gave out from underneath her, the inuyoukai was nearly unprepared to catch her before her knees smacked the concrete. Sobs caused her shoulders to shake roughly, she was brought up into his arms and cradled against his chest as though she were a babe, and he had to force his eyes from looking down upon her face. "Ite, it has to be a lie, ite," her words were painful enough to his ears that he had no control over, "Inuyasha can't be dead. Ite, it hurts so much," she rasped out, clutching at her chest as though it bore a physical wound.

"Rest Rin," Sesshoumaru bade, as he could not take anymore of her whispered pleas, "and this Sesshoumaru will have your bags brought to your customary room." Once she was awake, again he would find the reason she had come to the estate with bags packed. However, he had no doubts that her main reason for coming home was to receive confirmation of his brother's death, those suite cases told of another reason entirely. Rin was not the type that relished grieving in the presence of others, having grown around two men that prided themselves on both physical and emotional strength.

Confusion dominated her mind in the darkness, her eyes searching blindly for some form of familiarity, until it dawned upon her that she was in the room she kept at the estate. With that realization, came the memory of Inuyasha, and the lie she had thought to be present. Big fat tears cascaded down her cheeks as her chest squeezed as though a tangible hand grasped her around the ribcage in a bruising hold. It hurt so much that it was difficult to breathe.

She and the hanyou had been through so much together, it was impossible to imagine her life without his influence. Rin had yet to know the cause of his demise, and she was not quite sure she wanted to know what had the power to take down a creature of Inuyasha's prowess. A ghastly occurrence, it could be nothing less, and the brunette did not think she could stomach hearing how his end had come to pass. Swallowing her breath, as though such would have the strength to staunch the flow of her tears, she gasped out in her failed attempted as they began to flow faster and more freely. How many more of her loved ones would leave her?

Rubbing feverishly at her eyes, Rin flashed her gaze to the doorway that spilled light over the bed she sat, and found Sesshoumaru to be watching her in a considering light. Paying no mind to his look, she could not help but to wonder whether or not he would be next to leave her alone in path of life. If something had managed to take down Inuyasha, would there be something that could overcome the might of the powerful Taiyoukai? "Rin," she blinked from her daze and cocked her head at an angle to show that she heard him, "I have to visit Miroku at the infirmary, he just could not take the anxieties of things come to pass." He spoke in answer to Rin's gasp of shock, "a lot has happened while you were away," she could not help but flinch at the chiding way he said those words.

"I know," her voice was small, "Inuyasha's dead, and I wasn't around to see him one last time, instead I was…" she paused and he rose a brow in interest. There was never a doubt in her mind whether to trust the youkai or not, Rin just did not want to see the shame she feared would be shinning back at her after he found out about her activities. "When my grandfather passed, I met this man, Haku, and he made me feel better. I saw him again in the same spot as last time, only he was upset about something so I took him home with me," the confession spilled from her lips in a rush. She could never keep anything from her childhood friend and near brother for long, especially when it held dire consequences to her life. "He said that he felt calm and safe in my home so I told him he could come back any time he wanted…."

_He smiled ever so softly as he stood at her doorway to leave yet his eyes remained a cold and dark bottomless pit. Rin could not help but to ponder if any other emotion ever touch those abstruse irises; they had to have shown some warm pleasantries in his younger years, no child would have such a frigid stare. "Thank you, Rin, for taking me in for the night. I've never felt so at peace in a foreign place as I had watching the storm under your roof, in your presence."_

_Rin could no more stop the blush that covered the bridge of her nose then she could stop the beaming smile that broke over her lips at his flattery. He might not have meant to be so, yet she had never been at the receiving end of such words from the male equivalence, both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha squashing all interested suitors. "Your welcome to come back any time you want, we're friends aren't we?" No, he was not trying to be a flirt, but that did not stop the school girl crush from forming in her heart. "I mean we both helped each other out of tight spots right? So that does qualify us as friends?"_

_"I've never," he shook his head and the spark of some softer emotive fled his eyes, "no, it would be best if we never saw each other again. It would be safer for you to forget ever seeing my face, those close to me always meet some unfavorable trouble of a sort."_

_Haku moved to leave, but she caught his arm before he could leave her doorway. "The offer still stands if you want to take it," he nodded absentmindedly, but she did not release his arm. "Why were you," she let him go backing away in regret of the question she was about to ask. "Never mind."_

_Fingers grazed her cheek, a smile flashed before her sight, and his eyes remained just as lifeless as before. "I did something that I should not have done and someone else paid the price for my mistake, that's exactly why you and I should forget each other."_

"…But he turned me down because he feared something bad would happen. Even so, he came back anyway, and I think I saw him for nearly whole days every day I've been absent from the office. Two days ago he told me that someone was out to hurt me, that I should leave, stay with someone that I trusted… it almost seemed as if he knew…."

_An incessant pounding at her door roused her from the precious sleep she had been lacking as of late. Since Kagura had shown up at her down baring the news of Inuyasha's death, she had not found the ability to sleep for long before memories and grotesque nightmares had overtaken her dreams. She wanted to end it all by paying a visit the Shikaku Estate, yet she deathly feared that what she had been told was true and her childhood friend was no more. "Haku," her eyes widened in surprise when she opened the door so late in the night to find the man standing, out of breath, out on her porch. "Why, why are you here?" Had she not bide the young man farewell hours ago when it had still been a decent hour?_

_His hands found their way upon her shoulders firmly, eyes looking wildly in to hers, seeping with fear. "Rin, you have to leave here immediately, it's not safe for you stay here anymore." He took a deep breath, and said only fraction calmer then his earlier words, "there's someone out there that wants to deal you serious harm, and you won't be safe anywhere, especially not here."_

_Rin laughed nervously, "Haku this isn't funny."_

_"I'm not trying to be," the words were deadpan._

_Swallowing hard, she asked, her voice trembling, "but who would want to harm me? I'm nobody special, I'm just a secretary," she voiced her given cover, "granted it pays a lot, but I'm no body special." She reiterated._

_Cursing roughly beneath his breath, Haku looked her square in the eyes, "this is why I never should have come back," he stated firmly, voice strained with pain. "I should have stayed away, but you were just so," he paused. "When I was with you, I could almost forget what I was bred to be, and that I was, for once, a normal human being with no gritty attachments."_

_"Haku," she questioned wearily, "what are you saying?" Truthfully, Rin did not think she really wanted the knowledge, not if it would tarnish the man she had come to know over the past few days._

_Bringing her close, causing Rin to blush despite the dire situation, he said gravely, "that you need to stay with someone that you know would have the ability to protect you." Letting her go from his embrace, he bent forward and brushed his lips lightly against her cheek, "leave now and take what I've said to heart. That man who is after you is ruthless, and I would never forgive myself if something happened to you when I should have walked away to begin with." Haku left her on the doorway with that note, and she could do nothing but to stare blindly as he disappeared around the corner._

"…He left after he told me to go, and I just don't know what to do. Who would be after me, Sesshoumaru, why?"

This was nearly more then the Taiyoukai could handle at present, his brother had died, Miroku was in the infirmary, his best assassin had flat lined, and Kagura had vanished without a trace as to her whereabouts. Now Rin had an unknown assailant nipping at her heals. He, anon, wanted to slip into his larger form and roar his tension from his body so that he could walk for once without the itch that constantly accompanied his movements. "Rin," he questioned firmly, amber eyes drilling in her head, "do you fancy this man?"

Sputtering the said girl screeched in outrage, "I tell you someone's trying to kill me and you ask after a none existent love life!"

"I see," he nodded to himself as if in agreement with something, "you may stay as long as you like, you know that you are always welcome here." Seeing the disbelieving look that crossed her face, Sesshoumaru smiled fondly, "Rin, you know that if anyone dared to touch a hair upon your head, not only would they die, they would have each and everyone of their organs pulled out through their mouths in the most excruciating ways possible."

She nodded, trying not to picture the very vivid threat he had put forth, and asked hesitantly, "what has happened while I was away?"

Suspiring heavily, yet not recognizing he had done so, as powerful men did not sigh, he answered Rin with an edge to his tone that was put there as he thought of the tragedies that had transpired. "This Sesshoumaru will tell you everything as soon as I've spoken with Miroku," he then turned his back to her, regretful that he did not have more time to spare for them to speak considering she had been absent from the office for so long. "So much has happened and this Sesshoumaru must, despite the wish to give you nearly all of my time, attend to those matters," and then uttered softly, "Kagura went missing."

"What! Why?" Rin burst out, her eyes wide, her hands trembling. She could not lose another friend so soon, especially not after finding the wind youkai after she had been lost for so long.

Sesshoumaru hesitated, "she believes that she must be the society's inner spy, gathering information upon the man we had formed to take down." A moment of anger gripped him and he growled, speaking with the emotion, "that stupid wench, hiding from me just to spy on a man that'll likely kill her. Damn it, Rin, Miroku knows who he is and the mere mention of his name drags him to his knees, and that is who she is spending most of her days with. The worst part of it all is," the taiyoukai continued, "she feels that she must do this in order to gain my respect and trust when she has it above everyone else."

Swallowing hard Rin watched her childhood friend closely, he rarely ever let the inner thoughts of his heart out into the open, and he must be falling apart at the seams. "Sessh," she began softly, "you really love her don't you, and this is killing you isn't it?"

For the longest moment Sesshoumaru did nothing more then to stare at nothing, his face an impenetrable mask, rendering a look that she did not recognize before he spoke. "Rin we will speak when I return," he bade as he turned his back to her, "there is much to discuss and I want to understand better what you face. No one will lay a hand upon you if they wish to continue breathing."

He was avoiding the subject by changing it, by running from her words, and she could do nothing more then to nod sadly. A thought struck, and she found her voice calling out to him in haste. "Sesshoumaru wait!" He stopped, but his back still faced her for fear that she would see the turmoil that tossed around his amber gaze. "When Kagura was upset she'd go off to the place she felt the safest to get rid of whatever it was that made her sad," she started. Rin truly hopping that this little bit of information would be a start in paying the taiyoukai back for everything that he had done for her. "She told me once that the place that gave her such comfort was where she first met you, maybe you'll be able to find her there somewhere and talk some sense into her," she added making the lithe of her voice sound hopeful.

The inu turned to flash her a rare soft smile, "Thank you Rin," and turned from her again, "would you mind terribly if our conversation was delayed a bit longer? I think another important matter has come up."

Rin beamed at his retreating form, knowing exactly where he planned to go. "Of course, I'm not in any immediate danger, as long as I'm here I'm safe, but Kagura…"

"Thank you for understanding," with that said Sesshoumaru disappeared from her sight and she could only smile softly at the spot that he had been standing. Perhaps Kagura would finally realize that she had the infamous Sesshoumaru wrapped around her finger, heart, and soul, the entire time she was trying to become worthy of them. Rin could only wait and hope for that.

**_I_**nuyasha watched the door of the safe house in irritated silence, it had been hours since he had announced they were leaving and still the girl and her brother were not ready. He could understand the girl taking forever, women were just that way, but her brother to boot? He was a male, albeit still a boy by today's standards, yet guys did not take an eternity to get ready to leave no matter their age. Glancing sideways at the kit whom seated himself close to his person, Inuyasha said patiently, "go tell them to hurry it up."

Shippou brought wide, liquid eyes swimming with disbelief to gaze up at the hanyou, "are you insane?" He asked incredulously, "I'm not going to ask her that after what she did to you when you asked her that! I've got better self-preservation skills then that." He crowed proudly.

Growling low Inuyasha had to resist the urge to take his anger out on the kit in a physical manner, recalling all to vividly the young boy's bruised past. While his normal reaction, when feeling rage toward one he knew could handle the abuse, was to reach out and knock em' one in the back of the head, Shippou was another matter entirely. When he had found him, beaten and starving, behind the bar sleeping in the trash Inuyasha had vowed to never harm a hair on the child's head, nor to allow another hand to deal out any punishment without that hand finding it dismembered from the body it belonged. Instead Inuyasha shot the kit an amused glance, "I highly doubt she's going to throw a brush at someone she deemed so cute, much less bite your head off."

Giggling Shippou grinned proudly; "I am good looking, huh?" He agreed wiggling his brows in a manner befitting Miroku, and Inuyasha could not help to chuckle loudly at the comparison.

"It seems I'm not the only one rubbing off on you in a bad way, ne?" The hanyou was well aware of what those in the society said of him and the kit, that the child was a second him. There were various other, not so pleasant remarks, yet he chose to ignore them. If Inuyasha was constantly going after people whom uttered words that disagreed with his gut then the world's population would greatly suffer, alas he only slashed the tongues that wagged in ways deemed beyond offensive. "I wonder how Miroku will take the news," he mused aloud.

Shrugging Shippo said, "he'll probably just blame you, that, or be proud of himself."

"Keh," was all Inuyasha would respond to that comment, "well aren't you going to tell them?"

"Tell them what?"

Both Inuyasha and Shippou started at the sudden voice that had popped up behind them, turning the hanyou was ashamed for being caught off guard while the kitsune only beamed at seeing the face of the girl looking at them both inquisitively. "It doesn't matter," Inuyasha brushed off, "you and the runt ready to go yet?"

Glancing towards the stuff neatly packed away in the two suite cases and bag Kikyou had brought over, Kagome nodded her head in affirmation. "Are you sure," she eyed the hanyou up and down skeptically, "that you'll be able to carry all of us and that?" She asked, pointing towards the heavy luggage, "across the rooftops all the way to your house?"

Before the inu-hanyou could wash away the skepticism that colored her voice and features over his prowess, Shippou chirped. "Of course he can," the kit grinned widely a look of complete trust marking his eyes. "No ones stronger then Inuyasha," he paused, seeming to think about it, then added. "Well, maybe Sesshoumaru but they've never had a decided match. Whenever one of them gets so hurt they almost die they always stop, though Sesshoumaru does have the Tensaiga so I guess it really doesn't matter if one of them did die." He babbled.

Taking note of the horrified set to the girl's very stance as she forced a smile and listed to the kitsune speak, nodding to every other word, deciding that now would be a good time to interrupt his ward and silence the kit. "That's enough Shippou, you keep talking and we're never gonna leave." The kit really needed to learn what was not okay to go spewing off about and what was all right to blab about. Right now, he did not want the questions that were swimming around in her eyes. He hated answering to inquiring minds, especially when he wanted to completely focus his thoughts on other things. Inuyasha, right then, would rather be preparing his mental state to face Miroku for when he would finally sense the change in his little sister's aura, the slight altercation that showed his possession. "Kit, don't talk about the swords anymore, no one is suppose to know that they exist and I don't want to answer any questions your babbling might bring up," he spoke at a frequency that only Shippou would hear.

Seeing the caste fallen set the kit's form, the hanyou patted the boy's auburn head to let him know that he was not upset. Perking up the kitsune said, "never mind about that stuff, Inuyasha's really good at moving fast, so you don't have to worry Kagome."

"Huh," said girl murmured her mind elsewhere. "Oh," her countenance coming alive as she left her introvertive musings to look upon Shippou whom had been speaking to her. "No, I'm not worried, I mean he did save us so there's got to be something more to him then a bad temper." She laughed and soon the kit and her brother were joining in.

"Hey," Inuyasha grumped, "I'm standing right here!" _Tch, like I'm the one with a nasty temper,_ he ragged inwardly. She had a temper to match his own, if not better it, and that was the only reason why he did not speak that little bit aloud. He wanted to leave before night had really set in, not another argument to delay things. "Forget it, let's just go."

"Yeah, sis," Souta spoke up from his spot behind Kagome, "I want to see big brother."

The hanyou snorted, he really did not want to see their 'big brother,' yet he could not sit and hide away forever and it was not like Miroku could actually kill him right off the bat. He would have to sit and search for a way take down a hanyou, even with that in mind he still was not looking forward to seeing his partner again. "Hey kid," he said nodding toward Souta, "take the bag and jump on my back." Striding forward Inuyasha grabbed the two suite cases while adjusting to the weight that suddenly settled on his back; he held his left arm out. "I'll carry you," he said to Kagome, "while you hold Shippou."

He watched as she gingerly took hold of the kit, still sensing her unease, "are you sure that you can handle this?" Not deeming her dubious question worthy of an answer, he just grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her off the ground proceeding to exit the safe house in a flash. He moved down the sewers with a blinding level of speed, causing the sewer water to spray up all around him, but surprisingly not much of the stagnant water touched his three companions.

Inuyasha had prepared the way while he waited upon the girl and her brother so that he could make a nonstop run all the way to the surface. Within in a second or two of zooming through the tunnels, he was leaping through the manhole, and then toward the tops of the storage units nothing more then a blur to even the trained eye. Making sure to keep a tight hold on the girl, he focused his mind on other things to ignore the choking hold the kid had on his neck and waist. He could not exactly ask Souta to loosen his hold, at the speed they were traveling the kid would probably be ripped off his back.

Leaping from building to building until there was nothing but an expanse of trees, he traded steal and brick for ramose protrusions, weaving through the maze of foliage with a deadly grace. A three hour travel to the estate was reduced to no more the five minutes as he sped along, dread mounting as he grew closer until it nearly swallowed him whole as he paused before a large metal gate. Placing the girl on her own two feet, Souta slid from his back, while he shot her a grin. "That wasn't really like flying," Inuyasha amended, "but maybe sometime I can show you what I meant." Not waiting for a reaction, as standing in continued exposure left him uneasy, the hanyou strode forward to type in his personal code upon the hidden panel. There were not many that could enter this compound without harm, there was a barrier cast by Kikyou and her sister Kaede that kept those who did not belong out, and he was unsure of how it would effect his two guests. The girl, because of his blood claim on her, would likely be able to pass without any effect; her brother was an entirely different story. Miroku could pass, as his essence had been coded into the spell, but Inuyasha was not sure if that would be enough to allow the kid safe entrance. "You guys go ahead first," he tossed over his shoulder as the gate opened. He would stand sentient before the gated entrance to catch whomever the barrier tossed clear across the woodland expanse.

He watched with bated breath as the two siblings crossed the threshold of his family estate, only to release that breath in a long sigh when neither of the two received injury. Trailing after at a sedate pace, he acted as if he had not expected anything out the ordinary to happen while the gate mechanically shut behind them with a bang. Miroku's little sister stopped until they were walking astride the other, giving him a sideways glance. "What were you expecting to happen?" She murmured so that her brother and Shippou whom were walking ahead would not hear.

"I don't know your talking about?" He denied.

"Don't you dark try to claim chivalry with me," she chastised with eyes fixated upon the two that chatted adamantly ahead of them. "I saw the look on your face after we had walked through, nobody looks that relieved unless of course the person had been expecting something." She added smartly, waiting patiently for his answer.

He opened his mouth to lie, but then ended up spilling the truth, finding it quite difficult to spout a fib when he had no troubles with it before. "There's a barrier around the estate," he explicated, "and I wasn't sure if it would allow you to pass. I had you and your brother go first just in case it decided to toss you back a little." Maybe he was not beyond a tiny embellishment as the barrier would have tossed both siblings clear across the dirt road, through a tree, quite possibly two, and being human, he did not think either would have survived the impact. Now, he could have asked Sesshoumaru to grab Kaede, whom slept within the compound, to alter the terms of the barrier to be safe; he did not think of such an alternative until the girl began questioning him. Inuyasha's mind was firmly set on getting Miroku siblings to safety before they could be sighted, and intercepted, by prying eyes. "You may be Miroku's blood brother and sister, but that didn't mean the barrier would except you."

Kagome felt her eyes bulge at the information, "you risked my brother's life to test the limits of this barrier! You should have told me, I would have volunteered instead of unknowingly allowing you to risk his neck." She raged.

Inuyasha held his mouth shut from spilling that she and her brother were different, she had his blood were as her brother did not. Sesshoumaru, for some unfathomable reason, decided to have Kikyou and Kaede to amend the barrier to allow, should either brother take the plunged, their mate to have safe entrance into the establishment at any time. He had teased his brother endlessly for the change to their extra security measure, asking for weeks on end if he was to have another sister soon. The fights they lunged into because of his brotherly taunting were the most legendary of the bunch, and from his brother's highly disgruntled reactions Inuyasha was beginning to take his teasing suggestions as a possible truth. He gave up on the thought, however, when a few years past and no new sibling walking the halls of the estate.

"The ones that blew up the penthouse aren't amateurs," he began, remembering quite clearly that she believed him and her brother to be apart of the CIA. "We've been after these criminals for sometime now and I have reason to believe that I wasn't the only one they were trying to kill." Glancing sideways to see her startled expression, he added, "look I don't want to scare you or anything but we're dealing with professionals. They're not the type to be easily fooled by the entire apartment complex coming down. I would not put it paused them to be watching for any signs of at least one of us surviving and so I really only was focused on getting you inside before we could be spotted by their spies. I've never actually caught one lurking around before, I doubt they could even find this place, but you never know when you've got a traitor." He explicated solemnly. "I wonder who would be brave enough, though," he added, the words heavy with amusement.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," Kagome drawled distractedly while she clasped her hands behind her back. "Why would whomever this guys is want to kill me and my brother, no body should have know that we were siblings, you weren't even suppose to know, so it can't have been that right? Don't lie to me," she stated firmly, still a beguile lithe to her tone, "Miroku hides enough things from me as it is because he still sees me as a little girl, but I'm not her anymore." She was not that scared and timid little creature that had seen her father murdered, and though the details were sketchy; she always remembered the face of the murder in her dreams. It was that face of the man she deathly feared, and who terrorized her with thoughts of his coming after her for something she could scarcely recall. "The one whom blew up your penthouse, was it the man whom kill my father? This is a yes or no question, don't even dare to try and twist me from finding out the truth."

Grabbing the girls shoulder, he halted her steps. "Oi, Shippou, you litter trickster, sneak Souta to your quarters, I don't want anyone to know we're back until I've spoken with Sesshoumaru, and don't worry kid you'll get to see your brother." He added when he took note of the boy's chaste fallen face. Inuyasha turned to looked at the young woman beside side him, her hair hung loosely about her face, her brown eyes watching him expectantly while he search his brain for something safe yet satisfying to her curiosity to say. Something that Miroku would not bludgeon him for speaking since his partner seemed so set against allowing his siblings into the dark secrets of the society, with good reason, and he had brought the two in far enough for his own well-being.

"Are you going to tell more, or stare at me all day," Kagome snapped in her impatience to have the answers she sought. She was tired of not knowing anything; she may have been content to let her brother smooth talk her before, but they had not been in a building as it blew up.

Inuyasha grinned, "you had better be careful, love, I might decide not to tell you anything." He murmured, watching in delight as her eyes sparked to life in anger, he loved it when she was angry, and transforming into a masochist, he tried to drag that emotive from her often. The hanyou chuckled loftily, feeling more like himself then he did at the safe house and his apartment, "such a poor temper you've got there little girl." For the moment, without really thinking about it, he was teasing her like he would one of his close friends.

Eyeing him in disbelief, Kagome wanted to scream and rip out his hair when he yet again called her something other than her name. She had ignored it when they were hiding out, as she claimed, for the sake of Shippou and Souta so that there would be one less fight, however she did not think she could let the irritation slide idly by this time around. "Why can't you say my name," she screamed, "what is so hard about it? It's only three syllables, come on now say it with me, KA-GO-ME." She sounded out for him loudly so that his ears would not miss it even if he claimed to not miss much with his superior hearing.

Arching his brow, he claimed in a rather bored tone, "I know your name."

She snorted, "ha, if that were the case then why can't you ever remember it enough to call me it."

There were many reasons why he never said her name, the first and foremost being that if he acknowledge she was something else other then Miroku's little sister he then would find himself growing more attached then he already felt. The hanyou did not think that he could handle any other association with her then his partner's sibling, the little girl he saved from death so that Miroku would not have to mourn her loss the way he had to already mourn the loss of a father, mother and grandfather. "I never call anyone by their first name, you can ask your brother if you want someone to back my story."

Shooting him a skeptical look Kagome said huffily, "you call Souta and Shippou by their first names."

"They're little kids."

"What about my aniki?"

"The only time I said his name was so you'd understand who I was speaking about, you do have another brother, it's easier saying his name." Inuyasha explained away easily, "look do you want an answer to your question or not? I need to see my brother and yours about business that really shouldn't wait any longer."

She nodded, "well then, was it the same man that killed my father?" Kagome inquired again.

The solemnity of the situation changed his visage to more serious mien Inuyasha answered slowly. "Yes, it is the same man and that is why I need to speak to our brothers," and winced at his own wording for no truer words had been spoken. Since he had performed all but one step of the ritual he had made Miroku his brother as he had given Sesshoumaru over as the girl's own, it was one of the benefits and cures of becoming mates. Grabbing her hand, ignoring the way its warmth sent his stomach rolling in unease, he dragged her closer to the house's large front doors. "Come on, the sooner we get inside the sooner you can see your aniki."

**_"D_**amn you, let me out of here!" Miroku cursed foully to the nurse that had come in to check up on him only to find the so-called monk awake and struggling against the bonds that held him steadfast to the medical bed. "Let me out of here right now, I don't have time for this!" He hollered only to be ignored again by the nurse as she wrote his vitals down on her chart. "I know you can hear me!" He accused, cursing all sorts of ill things under his breath.

Finally, the nurse looked up from her work to lock gazes with the man under her care. "You need to stay calm Miroku-sama, all this flailing around isn't good for your heart and you might cause yourself a relapse. A panic attack is no laughing matter, harmless thought they may be, having such high blood pressure isn't good for your health." She was a lovely little thing in her uniform, and had the monk been in his normal mood, he would have sweet-talked her out of his situation. He was, however, not in the mood for his classical antics.

"Screw my health," Miroku cut in, "I need to get out of here." He stated firmly, glaring at her -bound as he were- as though it alone would have her hopping to obey his command. Only Sesshoumaru would have that eager to please effect upon another living being.

The young nurse shook her head to his demand; "I'm sorry Miroku-sama but I cannot comply to your wish, I have orders to keep you in bed for the duration of two days."

"Who in their right mind would order something like that!" He ragged. Miroku had woken up unable to move, that only had set him off, but the knowledge of what had happened to Sango was like a searing dagger forced into his heart. He wanted to jump from his resting-place in order to find out if she were alive or not, but the nurse had not seen enlightening him of her condition worth speaking about it.

"I am."

Hearing the cool words from the doorway, he had craned his neck around in order to catch a glimpse of the man whom had spoken. Sighting the man he thought it to be, he groaned, and then growled out. "Tell them to let me go," he demanded of his boss, growing irritated at the gentle up draw of the inuyoukai's brow, he snapped. "I have to find Sango, it is my fault that her condition," he confessed through a thickening throat, "worsened." He refused to utter the knowledge that she flat lined and that he might very well have killed her with his recklessness.

Sesshoumaru swallowed a soft smile as he replied to the monk's angst ridden words. "She is alive and well actually," this time he allowed his smile to show, but it was by no means soft or kind, rather hard and vicious. The grin one received before his claws protruded their flesh. "Be a good boy Miroku and perhaps sooner then you should I will allow you to see how alive she is." The taiyoukai was purposefully goading the ex-agent, hopping that in anger the monk would do as he asked rather then continuing to shout for his release.

"Why do I have to stay?" Miroku questioned with all the allure of a petulant child, "I feel perfectly fine."

The inu rose his brow delicately, "of course you feel fine," he replied offhandedly, "you want to see Sango. However until you can prove to this Sesshoumaru that you are in fact all right, you will not be allowed to move."

"I really hate you right now," the monk spat boring daggers into Sesshoumaru's skull.

"What did my baka brother do this time."

Both men froze at the sound of that voice knowing for its tones an impossible existence, as he was dead. Both men shared a spooked glance before Sesshoumaru turned around slowly in his place shifting to the side so that Miroku could view the door that his body blocked. Standing with in the doorframe was Inuyasha wearing the same outfit he had last seen him in covered in head to toe in sewer sludge that gave off quite a foul odor. Beside him was a young girl with long raven hair and brown doe eyes that spoke of an innocence that was far beyond the hanyou. "Imouto," Sesshoumaru heard Miroku whisper faintly and the inu could not help but to find traces of familiarity of both the monk and their father in her features.

It seemed that was all the young girl needed to speed across the floor to be standing beside her brother, hugging around his middle, before realizing his state of impairment. Standing back, she glared at that youkai that had been speaking with her brother previously, "what did you do to him?"

Sesshoumaru snorted, but was amused by the girl's audacity to challenge him, the sparkle shown within his amber gaze. "He refuses to stay put for his own physical health and so restraints were needed to keep your brother from doing more harm to his body." He glanced toward the monk taking in his glare of death with even more humor, "it would seem that he had a female friend also here at the infirmary that he is risking his health to see."

Kagome gasped and turned from the man that bore striking similarities to Inuyasha to pin her brother with a worried looked. "Aniki, is it Sango," she questioned softly.

Stopping from his attempt to kill the youkai with a look, Miroku turned soft eyes toward his sister, his heart constricting painfully as he swallowed hard. He was just floored to see that she was alive, but then so joyous that he could float from the bed if he were not strapped down. "Let me go, I won't leave, I'll even let you put these back on with out a fight, I just need to feel my imouto." He just needed to feel that she was really there, really alive, before he could wrap his mind around the fact that she stood before him now without so much as a scratch. A hesitant second was all Sesshoumaru took before he unbound the belts that kept the monk from moving. Sitting up, Miroku held out his arms and Kagome ran to him only to be upswept into a choking embrace. He sat there holding her tight, breathing in the sent of her hair with every breath, she was alive, and he laughed happily squeezing her tighter. "You're alive, you're really here." He breathed, hours could have passed, and he never would have taken notice, so elated he was at having his imouto back.

"Hai Aniki, I'm alive," she murmured back, "and so is Souta, he's with Shippou right now." Oh how she missed being held in her brother's arms, their joking together, and him chasing away the demons that hounded her sleep. She missed his comforting humorous self-most of all.

"He's alive too, he's okay, he's okay," Miroku's voice shook as tear by tear slipped passed his closed lids while he held her tighter still, "oh, I'm so glad that your alive." His breathing grew heavy as he tried to calm himself down, but his mind would not let the thought slip, it was his fault Kagome and Souta were both nearly taken away forever. "Please, imouto, forgive me… I'm so sorry, I should have protected you better, I should have told you everything, I'm so sorry, forgive me." He murmured repeatedly, his chest constricting tightly as the monitors signaled his rising pulse.

Kagome tried to pull back, but his vice grip would not allow her the freedom to do so, and so she settled upon rubbing her palm up and down his back comfortingly. "Aniki there's nothing to forgive, you can't be everywhere, and I understand why you didn't say anything," she then returned his embrace just as fiercely, "you were trying to protect me from the nightmares." She felt her brother nod his acceptance, but his harsh breathing had not lessened, "Aniki you should rest, let me check on Sango for you, while you rest and get better."

"No," Miroku uttered intensely, stubbornly, "I don't want to let you go."

Understanding his fear, Kagome felt the need to try to wipe it from his mind, if she did not she had doubts whether or not he would ever let her go were she not to assuage his frayed nerves. "I'll be safe here, aniki, no one will be able to harm me here. Inuyasha said that there is a barrier around this place that doesn't allow anyone bad to come in, that's why he took us here." She spoke hoping that her words would bring her brother a measure of calm, and smiled slightly when his breathing eased and he held her at arm length watching her softly.

"Go then, and tell Sango that I'm sorry," kissing her cheek he released her and allowed Sesshoumaru to strap his wrists back to the bed without a fight like he had bargained for.

"I will," she promised, "and afterwards I'll bring Souta to see you and then well tell you everything that you missed." With one last embrace, Kagome egressed from the room, stopping a brief moment to give Inuyasha a small smile, something that her brother had not missed.

Silence reigned heavy in uncomfortable waves, strained with the way Miroku glared at the ceiling, and currently only Sesshoumaru knew the reason why as Inuyasha was left in confusion. One would think that after such a reunion the man would be jumping off the walls with joy, he bore eyes stewing heatedly with rage upward. "Inuyasha," the monk spoke as a quiet rage boiled deep within his chest the longer he dragged this confrontation out, "what did you do to my sister?" The deadly hiss of steel being drawn resembled his tone quite nicely.

Inuyasha physically took a step back, "what do you mean?" Though a real fear began to eat away at his gut, had his partner sensed what he had done so soon, was the slight change of her aura so noticeable?

Laughing silently Sesshoumaru answered for him as he began to make his own egress from the room, this was something that his brother and Miroku had to work out for themselves. "I think he means your taking his sister as a mate," he paused in his gate, "oh, after you are finished here speak with Rin she was devastated when she learned of your death. Then you and I shall have our own sort of reunion, but after you've bathed, I do not think that I could stomach a conversation with you while that awful stench clings to you like a second skin."

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted, "nice to know that you care."

The taiyoukai shot his hanyou brother a look that penetrated, "we, you and I, are brothers, never forget that Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru did not know what had possessed him to say that in response to his brother's jest, it was probably realizing how much he adored the hanyou brat with all his annoying qualities after he had thought him to be dead.

The inu watched as his elder brother strode off without another word in stunned silence, Sesshoumaru had never responded to him in such a way before when he had been running off at the mouth. Perhaps his supposed death had really hit a place in the youkai's stone barrier. "Inuyasha, I'm going to allow you to explain yourself while I think of a way to kill you for," the words were choked, "deflowering my sister."

"I did nothing of the sort," said hanyou barked, and then calmed himself, his sudden bouts of rage would be of no help in the situation he had gotten himself into. "Listen, I had no choice-"

"No choice," Miroku raged, "are you trying to say that my innocent sister is a harlot that she threw herself at you! How dare you, Kagome would never-"

"Would you just listen to me!" Inuyasha hollered, and when the monk made no move to speak, he continued. "She was going to die all right," he said right away already figuring that anything else would be turned against him like the latter had been. "She had a laceration the length of my forearm down her stomach and was bleeding to death, by the time I stitched her up she had lost too much blood for her body to replenish it all before her systems gave out." He paused giving his partner time to adjust to the knowledge.

Miroku's mouth worked silently as his face paled considerably, "she was going to die… but what does that have to do with you taking her the way you did?"

"You idiot, I never touched her," he huffed out angrily, exasperated at the accusation. "I didn't know what else to do, she was dying and all I could think about was what would happen to you if you lost someone else. I knew she was your sister, the smell of her blood hung so heavy in the air that it was easy to find a trace to your connection through the general make up of her scent." Inuyasha averted his gaze, "I've always thought of you as a brother, Miroku, and you know that I will do anything for family. There was no other choice, I had to give her my blood in order to save her, I had to bind her to me."

Swallowing hard, still fighting his horror and disbelief, he said. "Does my imouto know?"

"No," Inuyasha faced his partner's gaze head on, "and she won't ever have to find out. I did this to save her life, not take her in that way, so she can live normally. She can do what ever she wants," and swallowed hard as the next few words warred his with instincts, "and she can marry whomever she wants, grow old with that person, have kids, whatever."

Speechless, Miroku stuttered out, "I-I know how this works, if you don't finish you'll literally go insane. All youkai, and hanyou, when they begin the process and for whatever reason do not finish it will lose their mind. It is why it takes your kind so long to find a mate, you cannot simply chose again." Inuyasha merely nodded his understanding. In stonied awe he asked, "and you're willing to go through this for my imouto."

"Yes."

_**T**he engines of the private jet shot the only two passengers across the sky at an even pace. Inuyasha chose to fiddle around with the many buttons on the armrest as though to see what they did while Kikyou grit her teeth in irritation. The only reason, they both knew, of why he was doing what he was doing -causing both the radio and television to play simultaneously among other things- it was all for the sole purpose of irritating the heck out of her._

_Not being able to take his messing around any longer Kikyou inquired tightlipped, "Tell me again the details of this mission?"_

_"Well Kikyou," he drawled, "it's not my fault you weren't paying attention when Sessh briefed us on the details the other day."_

_Growling low, though poorly because of her human vocals, she grouched. "Just tell me already."_

_Inuyasha chuckled snidely, "I could feed you a bunch of lies and you'd never know the difference," at her murderous glare he added, "I won't, my brother said we couldn't mess this one up. We're going to some bar in Peru to grill information from one of the brothers of _The Seven_."_

_"If that's the case," Kikyou spoke haughtily, "then I should be the one doing the questioning, with your big mouth you're liable to screw everything up."_

_Throwing the ignorant woman a smirk he said, "you can't this brother only speaks what we're looking for to men." Eyeing the fuming woman up and down, he added, "though with your face I guess you could pass for a man, but we shouldn't chance things."_

_Screaming shrilly, Kikyou roughly threw her martini at the hanyou's head only to scream more out of frustration when the dog managed to dodge her well-placed throw. "I really hate you," she spoke maliciously while she glowered at the inu with the same intensity. "What am I to question him for, what exactly is it that Sesshoumaru needs?" She inquired after having calmed down considerably._

_Inuyasha shot his baka partner a disbelieving sideways glance, "you were there sitting right next to me for that whole meeting weren't you, or were you too busy trying to rip that stick out of your arse?" The hanyou only chuckled in response to the dark looks he was receiving, going on to answer her question. "Remember that guy we found snooping around the docks, apparently he was part of a surveillance team -don't know how they managed to get the cameras everywhere, probably a traitor- and he was severely questioned by Sessh himself." He grinned widely when Kikyou grimaced, "yeah I know, the poor bastard. Anyway Sessh managed to get the guy to confess about all the cameras in every sector, the only problem is we can't find the locations because there magically hidden, and apparently this Jakotsu is the only who was trusted with the map to find them. Are you sure you want to do the initial questioning?"_

_"Yes, I already told you that you're liable to mess everything up."_

_"Hmm," Inuyasha hummed, "then I'll need to sheer your hair with my claws, it's too long."_

_Grasping her locks protectively, Kikyou shouted, "are you insane?" When he leaned over his seat as though to move in on her, she added, "besides you have long hair, are you trying to tell me that you appear feminine as well?"_

_Her words caused him to sit back, she grinned at her victory, and he just shrugged. "Yeah I guess your right, I mean with your face and all your long hair really doesn't matter." He remained nonchalant as she tugged at her raven locks as her exasperation steadily reached its peek. "You're still gonna have to do something about that chest of yours, even if you have the face of a man, that usually is a dead give away."_

_"I'll handle it," she spoke through gritted teeth, "when we land just meet me at the bar."_

_"Do you even know where it's at?"_

_"I think I can managed," Kikyou responded stubbornly._

_"It's called _Jak's Love Nest_, just so you know," Inuyasha informed with a cheeky grin, "I'll be watching things from the back so make sure to stay at the bar so I'll be able to keep an eye out. Oh and one more word of advice, I hear Jakotsu is the touchy feely type so don't be surprised if he does that a lot during your conversation."_

_**S**itting at the bar waiting to meet with the man himself, Kikyou tugged at her get up hopping that she looked every bit of the man she wanted to present. Her raven strands were pulled together at the nape of her neck, a pint striped suite adorning her body while her chest was firmly wrapped with tape. This was not the most comfortable way to be dressed, but it was less intense then she first presumed it would be. As she took a sip of her bloody marry a slender finger tapped her shoulder, turning slightly she was met with two brown eyes that held a humorous twinkle within the pupils depths._

_"So," he began conversationally, "you're the one they sent to retrieve the map huh?"_

_Surprise shot through her, "how did you…?"_

_"My brother," he grinned toward the bartender who slide a scotch on the rocks his way, "informed me that Sesshoumaru was sending an agent of his to sweet talk this map from my hands." He slid the piece of paper from his coat pocket, "I'm easier to buy off then my brothers, all I really want is some enjoyable company." Jakotsu then slide his hand down her cheek, "wow, you have such nice skin," he grinned, "and a good sense of style, pint stripes are just to die for. Let me guess, this is the work of the new designer Raku Danube, I've become a fan of his work and can spot it a mile away." He added when Kikyou merely nodded._

_Dread was brewing in her gut, something was not right about this whole scene, men did not touch other men in such a way, and they certainly did not keep up with the latest fashions. _Inuyasha, he knew about this didn't he, he baited me into this! _She thought in great exasperation. "I'm surprised you could tell." She muttered smiling sweetly before taking a sip of her drink._

_"Oh, don't be," he giggled girlishly, "fashion just happens to be one of my major passions. By the way, what can I call you?"_

_"Ah," she had never thought about having to give her name and so tossed on out one the sly, "Kyo, you can call me Kyo." Kikyou eyed the _man _up and down before straying to the map that was grasped delicately in his hand. "So you're saying that all I need to do is have a conversation with you and you'll let me walk away with the map?"_

_Nodding, Jakostu said, "Of course, a good conversation among other things, and if I am satisfied you get to have this map," he finished waving the paper around. "By the way, Kyo is such a wonderful name, I think I like it for you Ki-chan."_

_Kikyou rose a brow at that, "Ki-chan?" She asked, so far, if a bit odd, things had been going along safely. Though she suspected him to be into the opposite gender he had made no moves towards her, and so Inuyasha would relatively remain in one piece._

_"Oh," he said looking surprised, "I give a pet name to all those that I instantly like." Kikyou just nodded her acceptance rather then voicing it, if he liked her then it would make the retrieval of the map all the easier. Jakotsu lifted his drink to his lips, but paused suddenly, "oh," he squealed as a strange melody began to play the background something resembling salsa music. "Come Ki-chan," the man bid grabbing her hands when she had moved to take another sip of her own drink, "dance with me."_

_Kikyou could barely get a word out as she was swept away to the dance floor and her cheeks colored in embarrassment as the other couples on the floor eyed them oddly. Two men openly dancing together, it just was not done, "I-I thought you wanted a conversation?" A hand grasped her behind causing her to squeak in outrage, _Inuyasha you are going to die for this!

_"Among other things," he added wiggling his brows, "this is just one of those other things. You do know the salsa right?" He asked hopefully, and Kikyou only nodded unsure of what to say, not really wanting to displease him in case he decided to refuse handing over the map they needed. Before they had danced a few of the major steps, he had his arm around her back dipping her downwards, and asked breathlessly. "How bout a little kiss?"_

_"Ah!" She ducked away from his lips causing them to graze her cheek, trying to stand on her own, her eyes spotted Inuyasha whom was laughing so hard his shoulders shook so roughly that she could tell from so far away. Narrowing her eyes at him slightly, her face contorted into something else more gentle as she spoke to Jakotsu. "I, um, see a friend in the corner over there, come, you should meet him." Kikyou cackled evilly on the inside, she would see how the hanyou liked the attentions of a man whom was after him for being male. The inu really was a male, and so the embarrassment would be worse for Inuyasha then herself, at least she hopped it were so._

_Jakotsu's eye twitched, "of course."_

_Kikyou practically tore across the floor to the disguised hanyou's table, glaring hotly at the violet eyes that danced with amusement while his features washed the humor away for a serious frown. Taking a seat by the man she so despised, she hopped that he would give her a measure of protection from the ludicrous client before her. She very much doubted he would lift a finger if the flamboyant Jakotsu tried to take advantage of her person. "Inuyasha this is Jakotsu, Jakotsu, Inuyasha." She introduced dully._

_Their mark eyed the veiled hanyou up and down with a noticeable dislike, "how are you to Ki-chan?" He queried in a rough whine causing Kikyou to swallow hard._

_"Kyo and I," Inuyasha began with a humorous glance in her direction that caused her entire form to stiffen heavily. The baka hanyou had heard the entire conversation, he had hear everything. Her heart beat furiously within her ribcage, an organ she deathly tried to calm knowing that his freakishly superior to nearly everything hearing would pick up the panicking palpitation. She knew, without a doubt, as his eyes watched her that he had heard all that had been said including that upon the dance floor. She would not allow her cheeks to redden, Kikyou thought firmly, she would not. "We're partner's, concerned, even though he said he could handle things, I thought I should keep an eye on him. Kyo's always getting into strange trouble," Inuyasha added with a little laugh._

_"Really," Jakotsu said still frowning, "then you wouldn't mind if Ki-chan and went to talk about the releasing of the map you both want."_

_Kikyou watched with dread as Inuyasha shrugged unconcerned, "of course, go right ahead, I prefer to sit alone in a club."_

_"Great," the man squealed clapping his hands together, "come Ki-chan, let's have a conversation." Never had she heard such dreadfully spoken words, she felt very much, as she was dragged off, like she was being hauled into the lions den to be brutally devoured._

**_"K_**oibito, are you all right?" That night had been a horrid experience, one Kikyou did not quite understand why she was relieving every painful second in detail. It probably had to be the fact of Inuyasha's visit and him stupidly reminding her of the most embarrassing time of her life. The hanyou was the one whom was suppose to deal with Jakotsu, it was to be his punishment from Sesshoumaru, yet he had managed to sucker her in to doing his jail-time. "Koi," she heard her mate whisper once more.

"I'm fine," she lied red in the face, and seeing his knowing gaze she added, "I'd rather not talk about it." After everything had been said and done, and she had gotten the map, Jakotsu had claimed an undying love for her. Their night spent in Peru the man had stalked her at the hotel to the point she refused to leave Inuyasha's room despite all of his taunting and teasing. When they had attempted to leave Jakotsu had tried to steal away upon the jet, Kikyou was just glade that Inuyasha had the nose that he had.

"Koi," Naraku stressed the word causing her to cave in sufficiently, however she would never let him know of that night.

"I'm just letting something Inuyasha said get to me," she laughed bitterly, "I really should learn to ignore his stupidity."

The spider hanyou grasped her face to firmly keep her eyes before his own, "it's okay if he gets to you, it just means that you care about him, about what he says." Narku laughed softly, "kinda of like when I'm being stupid and you get tick off at me for weeks on end, I know that it's because you secretly love me." Kikyou snorted as she placed her arms around his neck.

"Whatever gave you that idea," Kikyou laughed merrily into his mouth as he made to thoroughly kiss her while she tried to contain her humor. That night and Jakotsu were cleanly wiped from her mind.

* * *

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_**A/N:**_

Yeah, I'm finally done with this chapter! Way over 15,000 words and about twenty pages, I think this is possibly the longest chapter I've ever posted for you guys, but I just had to add the part with Peru. I think that I've teased you guys long enough, I mean mentioning it in the last five chapters -I believe- is enough of a wait. Since I'm feeling oddly generous tonight I'm gonna let you in on something, this won't be the last time you hear of that night. I'm gonna have a little run in between Kikyou and Jakotsu, and you gonna see the night through his eyes which will be decidedly different from her perspective of the night.

Arse- British for -as I'm sure most of you could guess- ass… like math is maths and mom is mum. And the F word is bugger. Interesting ne? I've always wanted to use the word arse in one my stories and I just decided to take the opportunity to do it now.

Thank you every one for the lovely reviews! I'll answer questions and the like for everyone in the next chapter, my sis and bro want me to hurry up with what I'm doing and take them to the movies and I really want to get this chapter out, its been a long time coming. We don't celebrate Halloween so we go to the movies or do something else on the 31st of October.


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